Israel launched airstrikes on a shuttered air base in northwest Syria near the Turkish border. The attack followed a recent visit by a Turkish delegation and occurred while negotiations over a security agreement with Syria's new leadership are at a standstill.
Israel stated the strike aimed to prevent Turkish troops from deploying to the base, claiming Syria was close to breaching an agreed-upon status quo in security matters. The Israeli prime minister asserted that Turkey's southward military entrenchment poses a threat to Israel, though he stopped short of claiming responsibility for the strike. Israel also targeted the site to prevent Syria from rebuilding its air force with Turkey's help, as Turkey has close ties with the Syrian government and has provided assistance to its military.
Turkey firmly rejected the Israeli allegations regarding its military position, calling them untenable. The United States blamed Israel for the strike, and Tom Barrack, the U.S. ambassador to Turkey and special envoy for Syria and Iraq, described the strikes as an unnecessary escalation.