What if Türkiye shot down an Israeli jet?
What if Türkiye shot down an Israeli jet? newspress_en Sat, 08/22/2026 - 18:20 Opinion The latest Israeli strikes on Abu al-Duhur airbase in northern Syria destroyed its runways, yet they came perilously close to igniting something far more consequential: a direct confrontation between Israel and Türkiye, two allies of the United States. The story began several days before the bombing, when…
Imagine if Türkiye had shot down an Israeli jet over Syrian airspace. This imagined scenario would have put the United States in a difficult position, as both Israel and Türkiye are US strategic allies, with NATO membership for Türkiye. In 2015, a Turkish fighter shot down a Russian bomber near the Syrian border, leading to punitive measures from Moscow and a new understanding on rules of engagement.
Now, with another nearly incident, the United States finds itself caught between its allies. If Ankara had shot down an Israeli aircraft, Israel might respond with retaliation, potentially escalating the situation into a confrontation between the two US allies. Damascus could benefit from such a confrontation by limiting Israeli freedom of action in Syrian airspace and drawing a new line that Israeli aircraft cannot cross.
However, the cost would be that Syria itself becomes the arena of confrontation, caught between its ally Ankara, its negotiations with Tel Aviv, and its desire to restore sovereignty over its entire territory and airspace.
Written by urgent.news from Al Majalla English's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
