Turkey Denies Presence of Troops at Syrian Airbase Targeted by Israel

Turkey has denied Israeli claims that Turkish forces were deployed at a Syrian airbase recently struck by Israel. Rear Admiral Zaki Akturk, spokesperson for the Turkish Ministry of Defense, stated on Thursday that no Turkish military delegation was present at the Syrian airbase before or during the Israeli airstrikes. This denial follows an Israeli Prime Minister's Office statement explaining that the attack was carried out after Damascus allowed Turkish troops to deploy on its territory despite Israeli warnings.

The Turkish Ministry of Defense sharply criticized Israel, with Akturk emphasizing Turkey's commitment to defending Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity. He urged the international community to take action against Israeli operations, warning against normalizing Israeli military interventions against neighboring countries. This response comes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Israel would not tolerate a Turkish military presence south of its border and confirmed that Israel had communicated this message to Turkey.