Turkey Expands Military and Economic Influence in Syria, Raising Israeli Concerns
Turkey is significantly deepening its presence in Syria by deploying over 20,000 troops and advanced weaponry in the northwest, aiming to become the dominant military and political force in the country. Ankara is leveraging the power vacuum left by the Assad regime's weakening and extensive Israeli strikes that destroyed much of Syria's military infrastructure. A military cooperation agreement signed in August 2025 between Turkey and Damascus includes counterterrorism, mine clearance, cyber defense, and logistical support, with Turkish advisors helping restructure the Syrian army, which plans to double its forces to 200,000 within five years and integrate around 130 armed factions.
Beyond military involvement, Turkey and Syria are forging a strategic partnership in trade, energy, transportation, infrastructure, and investment. They plan to reopen border crossings closed during the war and aim to increase bilateral trade from $3.7 billion to $5 billion within two years, eventually reaching $10 billion by the early 2030s. Turkey is also working to lift Western sanctions on Syria to facilitate massive reconstruction investments and intends to transform Syria into a regional transit corridor connecting the Persian Gulf, Caspian Sea, Mediterranean, and Black Sea.
The cooperation extends to education, with agreements signed in July 2025 to develop curricula, train teachers, rehabilitate war-damaged schools, and establish a joint Turkish-Syrian university recognizing degrees mutually. Turkey’s expanding influence in Syria is viewed as a direct security interest due to their 911-kilometer shared border, aiming to stabilize Syria and reduce refugee flows. However, Turkey’s long-term strategic control depends on unifying Syria’s armed factions, easing sanctions, and regional and global acceptance of its growing role.
This Turkish initiative is causing concern in Israel, which monitors Ankara's increasing military and political foothold in Syria, a country critical to regional security dynamics.
