Turkey Denies Military Presence at Syrian Airbase Targeted by Israel, Condemns Strikes

Turkey's Ministry of Defense issued a strong statement on Thursday denying any Turkish military presence at the Syrian airbase struck by Israel near Idlib. The ministry said no Turkish military delegation was at the Syrian Air Force base before or during the Israeli attacks. Turkey called on the international community to take concrete and effective measures against Israeli actions, which it said threaten regional peace and stability. The ministry condemned the strikes and warned against normalizing Israeli military interventions in neighboring countries, affirming Turkey's continued support for Syria's sovereignty.

Earlier, Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz criticized Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for dragging Turkey into dangerous adventures in Syria, asserting Israel would not allow threats to its security. Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad told Axios that Damascus had informed Israel prior to the strike that it had no intention of establishing a Turkish base or permanent forces at Abu al-Duhur airbase. Mekdad said the site was mainly undergoing infrastructure repairs for the Syrian Air Force and was nearly empty during the attack. He confirmed Turkish officers had visited days earlier as part of routine cooperation, similar to Syria's contacts with Russia and Saudi Arabia.

The Syrian minister also noted Damascus had communicated with the Trump administration to avoid escalation and remains interested in a security agreement to calm the border, provided Israel respects Syrian sovereignty. The Israeli airstrike on Abu al-Duhur, about 70 kilometers from the Turkish border, followed intelligence indicating Turkish troop deployments there. Israel informed the United States before the attack. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later acknowledged Israel's responsibility, explaining the strike aimed to prevent Turkey from breaching a security status quo by deploying forces at the airbase near Aleppo.

In related developments, the head of Mossad reportedly spoke with the Syrian foreign minister regarding Turkey's presence in Syria, as the U.S. seeks to manage tensions among Israel, Syria, and Turkey to prevent further escalation.