Turkey slams Israel's 'untenable' claims after strikes on Syrian base

Turkey has firmly rejected what it called "untenable allegations" by Israel concerning Turkey's military presence in Syria. The rejection followed Israeli airstrikes on the Abu al-Duhur air base near Aleppo and Israel's assertion that Syria was on the verge of allowing Turkish troops to deploy there.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office stated late Tuesday that Syria was close to violating a security agreement by permitting Turkish troops at the airbase, warning that such a deployment would threaten Israeli security. In response, the Turkish presidency accused Netanyahu's office of making "imputations" stemming from his intention to pursue "expansionist and destabilizing policies" ahead of elections. Turkey asserted that lasting regional peace requires Israel to respect international law and abandon "aggressive and coercive policies."

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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.

The Turkish statement characterized the Israeli allegations as an attempt to legitimize unlawful airstrikes targeting Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity. It emphasized Turkey's commitment to cooperating with the Syrian government on a legitimate basis to establish peace and stability, vowing not to allow Syria's destabilization. This exchange escalates existing security tensions and sharp rhetoric between the two nations, both active militarily in Syria.

Turkey, a NATO member and a key ally of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, accuses Israel of attempting to destabilize Syria and undermine its new administration. Ankara has been providing military and diplomatic support to Syria, including training its army and assisting in rebuilding state institutions. The US has also expressed concern, with a special presidential envoy calling the Israeli attack an "unnecessary escalation" and working to expand coordination to avoid incidents between Israel and Turkey in Syria.

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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.