The Media Line: Israel Struck Syrian Base Over Planned Turkish Deployment 

Israel Struck Syrian Base Over Planned Turkish Deployment  

By The Media Line Staff  

Israel struck Syria’s Abu al-Duhur military air base last week after receiving intelligence that Turkey planned to deploy troops, radar and air defense systems at the facility, Kan News reported Saturday.   

The eight airstrikes on the base damaged its runway and warehouses. The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said the attack was intended to prevent a Turkish military deployment that would have violated what Israel described as the existing security status quo in Syria.   

Israel also informed the United States that its intelligence indicated Turkey was preparing to send troops and air defense and radar systems to the Syrian base, according to Kan News.   

“Since the diplomatic message did not get through, Israel delivered it through a targeted warning strike,” one official said.   

Both Syria and Turkey denied Israel’s statements about the planned Turkish deployment. The United States criticized the Israeli attack as an “unnecessary” escalation.   

Defense Minister Israel Katz said Saturday that Israel had warned senior Syrian officials before launching the strikes, an account consistent with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s statement that Syria had received a warning beforehand.   

“Following several discussions that Prime Minister [Benjamin Netanyahu] and I held with the IDF and the various security officials, it was agreed that before approval was given, a direct warning would be issued to the Syrian regime at the highest levels first in an attempt to prevent the move, and that is what was done,” Katz said.   

Katz said the warning was issued before authorization was given for the military operation in an effort to stop the planned deployment without resorting to a strike.   

After Turkey did not respond to the threat, Katz said he authorized the attack, which he said was carried out successfully   

He also accused Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of attempting to establish a military presence at the Syrian facility before retreating following Israel’s action.   

“[Turkish President Recep Tayyip] Erdogan was caught with his hand in the cookie jar and was forced to back down,” Katz said.