Bombardment of Abu al-Dhahab: Will it ignite a confrontation between Turkey and the occupation?
Tensions between Turkey and Israel are escalating against the backdrop of military developments in Syria, following Tel Aviv’s targeting of the Abu al-Dhaher military airbase in the countryside of Idlib. Israel claimed the strike aimed to prevent the establishment of a Turkish military presence that could threaten its security, a charge Ankara categorically and specifically denied. The bombing, which coincided with repeated Hebrew-language warnings regarding Turkish movements, has heightened fears that the tension between the two sides could escalate into direct military confrontation.
Tom Price, the U.S. Special Envoy to Syria and U.S. Ambassador to Turkey, stated that Israel’s bombing of the Abu al-Dhaher airbase in Idlib signals the risk of “direct military confrontation between Israel and Turkey.” Channel 15 of the Hebrew media quoted Price as saying, “We were one step away from a military confrontation,” noting that Washington is working to establish a mechanism to prevent clashes among the three countries: Israel, Turkey, and Syria. Price clarified that Ankara had not received prior warning of the strike; instead, it detected aircraft heading north toward its territory, which could have logically prompted Turkey to prepare a response, hinting at the possibility of a Turkish military retaliation. He added, “Fortunately, cool heads prevented the situation from deteriorating further.”
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened Turkey, stating that Tel Aviv had made its position clear regarding the Turkish military presence in Syria, warning that Israel “will not tolerate a Turkish military presence in Syria that poses a threat to Israel.” He added, “We made it clear that we will not tolerate a Turkish military presence in Syria, and it seems they did not hear us well, so we ensured they understood better,” according to his remarks.
In response, Turkey denied the claims made by Netanyahu’s office, asserting that they aim to legitimize illegal raids targeting Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Ankara clarified that the accusations against Turkey stem from Netanyahu’s intention to continue his destabilizing expansionist policies in the region ahead of the upcoming Israeli elections in October. Turkey emphasized that it “will firmly continue cooperation with the Syrian government based on a project aimed at establishing security, stability, and prosperity in Syria, and will under no circumstances allow the destabilization of Syria.”
On his part, Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal al-Miqdad stated that linking the strike to a Turkish military presence in the base is not supported by the ground situation at the time. He pointed out that there was no Turkish military buildup in the base, which he described as largely empty, and noted that it had not yet undergone full rehabilitation or entered full operational status. Al-Miqdad confirmed that ongoing work at the site was still in the rehabilitation phase, emphasizing that there was no intention to establish a Turkish base there, deploy a permanent Turkish military presence, or station Turkish troops at the location. He added that he had informed Tel Aviv that the Syrian government was not cooperating with Turkey to build a military presence at the airbase, yet Israel proceeded to attack the site, describing the action as unjustified.
Al-Miqdad explained that the Syrian government communicated with the Trump administration before and after the attack to convey Syria’s position and prevent escalation, noting that Damascus clearly informed Washington that it did not trust Israel’s intentions toward Syria. He stated that communications were held after the attack with the Trump administration and other countries to protest and prevent recurrence, while affirming that his country remains interested in reaching an agreement with Israel to de-escalate tensions on the border.
On its part, the U.S. State Department confirmed that communications regarding Syria and Israel continue, adding that Washington believes dialogue and restraint are the best ways to advance relations between the two countries. It noted that President Trump’s leadership in the Middle East has facilitated productive discussions focused on Syria’s sovereignty and stability, while simultaneously emphasizing support for Israel’s right to defend itself against external security challenges.
Meanwhile, Axios reported that U.S. and Israeli officials believe the upcoming Israeli elections are likely one of the motivations behind the attack on the airport. Turkey reiterated that there is no Turkish military presence at the base, accusing Tel Aviv of fabricating excuses to bomb neighboring countries and destabilize the region.
