Israel claims strikes at Syria's Abu al-Duhur prevented Turkish expansion toward northern border

Israel stated on Friday that its airstrike on the Abu al-Duhur military air base in Syria aimed to curb a growing Turkish security threat bordering Israel. A spokesperson from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office claimed that Israeli intelligence detected Turkish troops preparing to deploy at the airbase, just 200 miles from Israel's border.

Despite warnings to Syria, the government alleged that Damascus ignored them, allowing Turkey to expand its military presence toward Israel's northern frontier. The spokesperson noted Turkey's leader, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has repeatedly threatened Israel and even questioned the viability of a "just world" with the US as a partner.

Israel holds less than 0.1% of Syrian land adjacent to its border, while Turkey occupies about 5%, according to the spokesperson. The two countries agreed in 2023 to maintain the current security status quo along their shared border. However, Syria allegedly violated this agreement, prompting Israel's strike. Israel remains open to returning to the old arrangement and emphasizes its commitment to avoiding escalation, but warns against any provocative actions from Turkey or other nations.