Israel received intelligence on Turkey's Syria military expansion plan: Envoy Leiter says 'red line was crossed'
"We are not seeking escalation or war with either Turkey or Syria. But a red line was crossed," Leiter told The Jerusalem Post in an interview.
Israeli Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter revealed on Thursday that Israel received intelligence confirming Turkey's plan to substantially increase its military presence in Syria. Leiter described this action as a red line that had been crossed. Following Israel's military strikes in Syria, both Syrian and Turkish governments expressed criticism.
Leiter explained that Israel acted after Turkey's alleged move was not addressed through warnings. The strikes targeted the Abu al-Duhur airbase, near Aleppo, and caused damage to runways. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel conveyed a clear message: do not proceed with the plan. Leiter emphasized that the freeze on military activities, previously agreed upon during the Biden administration, was violated by Turkey.
Turkey's influence in northern Syria, which comprises about 5% of the country's territory, had expanded significantly over the years. Despite tensions, Leiter expressed that Syria did not seek confrontation with Israel. Israel remains open to dialogue with both Syria and Turkey, but criticized Turkish leaders for their hostile statements towards Israel, particularly Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.
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