‘Armed to the teeth’: Syria buildup, Ankara involvement necessitated Israeli strikes - experts say

Israel's airstrikes on the Abu al-Duhur military airfield in Syria's Idlib province were a necessary measure to prevent a direct confrontation with Turkish forces near its borders, two regional experts told The Jerusalem Post. Dr. Hay Eytan Cohen Yanarocak, a Turkey expert at Tel Aviv University, explained that Israel aimed to avoid conflict with Turkey and was actively working to keep Turkish forces away from its borders.

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Jerusalem was not interested in clashing with Turkey, and was therefore doing everything possible to keep Turkey away from its borders.

Yanarocak noted that the close geographical proximity between Turkey and Syria complicates Israel's efforts to avoid such clashes. He assured that Israel could feel secure as long as Turkish forces remained in their current northern positions and did not advance southward.

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The untenable allegations put forward by the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office are intended to legitimize Israel’s unlawful airstrikes targeting Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

However, Ankara refuted Israel's allegations. Turkey's Presidency stated that Prime Minister Netanyahu's remarks were driven by expansionist policies ahead of elections and that regional peace requires Israel to abandon its "aggressive and coercive policies." Turkey affirmed its commitment to cooperating with the Syrian government for peace and stability, vowing not to allow Syria's destabilization.

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Turkey will resolutely continue to cooperate with the Syrian Government on a legitimate basis for the establishment of ‌peace, stability, ⁠and prosperity in Syria, and will never allow the destabilization of Syria.

Jonathan Hessen, a senior fellow at the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security, added that Turkish influence in Syria is deeply entrenched. He highlighted that the threat from Syria extends beyond Ankara's military presence, considering the Turkish-backed Syrian Transitional Government and its potential ties to hostile groups.

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So long as Turkish forces remain in their current positions in the north and do not seek to gradually penetrate southward…Israel can feel secure.