US Ambassador to Turkey Suggests Israel May Have Provoked Turkey Before Elections

Tom Barrack, the US Ambassador to Turkey and former envoy for Syria under Trump, accused Israel of providing false intelligence about Turkish troop deployments in Syria. In a filmed interview, Barrack claimed Israel informed the US about Turkey's alleged plans to deploy forces at a base six days before an Israeli military strike in Syria, but US checks found no such deployment. He suggested Israel might have attempted to lure Turkey into a confrontation ahead of Israeli elections, describing it as a possible "trap." Barrack also raised the possibility of communication failures between Israel's Mossad, the IDF, and the Prime Minister's Office.

Barrack expressed surprise at the Israeli strike and emphasized that Turkish leadership, including intelligence agencies, the Foreign Minister, the President, and intelligence chiefs, are focused on restraint and do not seek escalation. His comments mark the first public US diplomatic response linking the Israeli strike in Syria to internal Israeli political timing and intelligence issues.

The interview was conducted by journalist Mario Nofal and published by N12 on August 22, 2026. Barrack's statements highlight tensions between Israel and Turkey amid regional instability and upcoming Israeli elections.