Politics & Governance
Israel says it will counter Turkey 'destabilisation'
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said Israel would act against what it called Turkey's attempts to destabilise the region, adding to a dispute over Ankara's role in Syria.
The statement followed exchanges between Israel and Turkey over Syria's Abu al-Zuhur air base near Aleppo. Syria accused Israel of striking the disused base earlier in the week, and Ankara attributed the strike to Israel.
Turkey denied that any Turkish military delegation was at the base before or during the attack. A Turkish defence official told journalists there had been no Turkish military delegation at the site.
Netanyahu's office had said Turkish forces recently toured the base. Netanyahu also said Israel would not tolerate what he called “a Turkish military entrenchment moving southward” because it threatened Israel.
Turkish defence ministry spokesman Rear Admiral Zeki Akturk called the strikes “unacceptable” and said Turkey would keep supporting Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Turkey's presidency said it was not considering retaliation.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the strikes came after a recent visit by a Turkish military delegation as part of efforts to reactivate the airfield. The Abu al-Zuhur base was damaged during Syria's civil war and has been out of service since 2012.
Update
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said Israel would act against what it called Turkey's attempts to destabilise the region.
Source note: AFP news report published on 21 August 2026 at 14:38:36 UTC.
Update
Turkey's presidency said it was not considering retaliation over the strike.
Turkish presidency communications director Burhanettin Duran accused Benjamin Netanyahu of trying to undermine regional peace and stability and linked his stance to Israeli elections and domestic tensions.
Source note: AFP news report published on 20 August 2026 at 13:07:00 UTC.
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Turkey’s presidency said Turkey “will not fall into the trap” it said was set by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Syria.
Source note: AFP news report published on 20 August 2026 at 12:03:24 UTC.
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A Turkish defence official said there was no Turkish military delegation at Abu al-Zuhur air base before or during the Israeli attack.
Turkish defence ministry spokesman Rear Admiral Zeki Akturk called the strikes unacceptable and said Turkey would continue supporting Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would not tolerate Turkish military entrenchment moving southward because it threatened Israel.
Source note: AFP news report published on 20 August 2026 at 10:13:59 UTC.
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Turkey's defence ministry denied that Turkey had a military presence at the Syrian air base targeted by Israel.
Source note: AFP news report published on 20 August 2026 at 09:01:46 UTC.
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Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz accused Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of “dragging Turkey into dangerous adventures in Syria”.
Source note: AFP news report published on 20 August 2026 at 07:07:52 UTC.
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Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had warned Turkey against setting up a base in Syria.
Netanyahu said Turkey apparently had not heard the warning, so Israel made sure it was understood more clearly.
The comments appeared to acknowledge Israeli involvement in the strike the day before.
Source note: AFP news report published on 19 August 2026 at 18:48:51 UTC.
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Turkey's Communications Directorate said Israeli allegations were frivolous and aimed to legitimize what it called unlawful airstrikes on Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Anadolu state news agency quoted the Turkish statement.
Source note: AFP news report published on 18 August 2026 at 23:47:56 UTC.
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Turkey rejected Israeli claims on Syria.
Source note: AFP news report published on 18 August 2026 at 23:40:13 UTC.
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Israel accused Syria of violating an agreement by accepting Turkish troops at the Abu Duhur base.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said Israel had repeatedly warned Syria that the deployment would threaten Israel's security.
Netanyahu's office stopped short of acknowledging Israeli responsibility for the strike.
Source note: AFP news report published on 18 August 2026 at 21:15:52 UTC.
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Israel said Syria's acceptance of Turkish troops posed a threat.
Source note: AFP news report published on 18 August 2026 at 21:05:23 UTC.
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US envoy for Syria Tom Barrack called the strikes an unnecessary escalation and urged parties to prioritise dialogue over further military incidents.
Syria's foreign ministry urged the international community and the UN Security Council to take a firm position against what it called repeated Israeli violations of Syrian sovereignty.
The item adds recent statements by Syrian, Israeli and UN officials about Israeli forces and the Golan Heights.
Source note: AFP news report published on 18 August 2026 at 12:42:49 UTC.
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The United States said Israel was behind the Syria strikes.
The United States criticised the strikes as an “unnecessary escalation”.
Source note: AFP news report published on 18 August 2026 at 11:16:30 UTC.
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Syria's foreign ministry condemned what it called an unjustified Israeli attack on the airfield.
Source note: AFP news report published on 18 August 2026 at 10:27:26 UTC.
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Israeli officials have said they intend to keep forces in a security zone in southern Syria.
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa last month called for an active French role to halt Israeli escalations in Syria.
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani last month condemned continued Israeli military actions and demanded immediate withdrawal.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said last week that Israel planned to keep troops in Syria.
The United Nations chief has condemned the incursions as violations of Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Israel and Syria's new authorities have held several rounds of direct talks and agreed to establish an intelligence-sharing mechanism.
Source note: AFP news report published on 18 August 2026 at 08:58:05 UTC.
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Syrian state television quoted an unidentified military source as saying Israeli aircraft carried out eight strikes on the runway of Abu Duhur military airport.
The quoted military source said the strikes caused material damage to airport infrastructure and no casualties.
Source note: AFP news report published on 18 August 2026 at 08:35:28 UTC.
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Syria accused Israel of striking an airfield in the northwest.
Source note: AFP news report published on 18 August 2026 at 08:14:37 UTC.
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The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the strikes followed a recent visit by a Turkish military delegation to the airfield as part of efforts to reactivate it.
The source said the airfield suffered heavy damage during Syria's civil war.
The item states Turkey is a key ally of Syria's new authorities.
Source note: AFP news report published on 18 August 2026 at 07:43:30 UTC.
Update
A security source said no casualties were immediately reported.
No side has claimed the strikes.
The Israeli military told AFP it had no comment in response to an inquiry.
The source said the facility has been out of service since 2012 and is protected by Syrian defence ministry forces.
The item adds context on previous Israeli strikes in Syria, US-led coalition strikes in northwest Syria and control of the airfield after the change of power in Damascus.
Source note: AFP news report published on 18 August 2026 at 06:37:30 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
The nature and timing of any Israeli action against what it called Turkey's destabilising attempts were not specified.
Whether a Turkish military delegation recently visited the Abu al-Zuhur base is disputed.
Israel has not been quoted in the supplied material directly confirming that it carried out the strike.
Source
AFP news report published on .