Expert Warns of Potential Israel-Turkey Military Clash in Syria After Elections

Senior Middle East analyst Yoni Ben Menachem warned in a Channel 14 interview that Israel faces a new strategic threat from Turkey's military entrenchment in Syria. He described Turkey under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as the "new Iran," urging the United States to set clear red lines to prevent escalation. Ben Menachem highlighted Turkey's attempts to transfer air defense systems and weapons to Syrian airfields as part of a broader plan to shift the regional balance of power, backed partially by the US administration.

Ben Menachem accused key Syrian leadership figures, such as Abu Muhammad al-Julani and Ahmad al-Shara, of being Turkish agents installed by Ankara. He explained Erdogan's ambitions to lead a Sunni axis challenging Iran's influence, with goals including the symbolic conquest of Jerusalem and access to the Al-Aqsa Mosque. The analyst assessed that if a left-wing government forms in Israel, it could ease Turkish advances near Israel's borders, while a right-wing victory might trigger an inevitable military confrontation with Turkey in Syria.

Regarding Iran, Ben Menachem cautioned that Tehran's threat remains potent despite a deceptive calm, as it uses the lull to advance missile and drone production. He predicted Iran plans a major offensive before the US midterm elections, aiming to attack Gulf states and American bases to undermine President Trump. Ben Menachem concluded by calling for a strategic shift against Iran, stating economic sanctions alone are insufficient to topple the regime without ground operations, which Trump is reluctant to pursue.