An Israeli minister warns of Turkish military bases in Syria

Saar said in an interview with the French Agency: “We are committed to maintaining the status quo, and we will not accept the establishment of Turkish military bases in Syria,” stressing that Israel’s position comes within the framework of its keenness to prevent a repeat of the scenario of Iran penetrating Lebanon and Gaza with Türkiye in Syria.

The Israeli minister's statements come in the wake of a series of Israeli air strikes that targeted Abu al-Duhur air base in the northwestern countryside of Idlib, Syria, on August 18, in an operation that military analysts described as a clear Israeli message to Turkey about its rejection of any permanent military presence on Syrian territory.

According to Israeli intelligence sources, the raid came to prevent the deployment of Turkish forces at the base, and to thwart Turkish efforts aimed at establishing a permanent military presence in northern Syria.

In explaining the Israeli position, Sa'ar explained that Israel is studying very carefully how Iran infiltrated Lebanon and Gaza, noting that Tel Aviv "does not want the same situation to be repeated with Turkey and Syria."

Despite the severity of the situation, the Israeli minister stressed that Tel Aviv “has no interest in escalation with Türkiye,” stressing that Israel “always prefers diplomatic solutions” to settle disputes.

On the other hand, a high-ranking Syrian official denied on August 20 that there were any plans to establish a Turkish military presence at the Abu al-Duhur base, saying that Damascus “has no intention of giving Turkey a military base in Syria.”

But this denial did not completely dispel Israeli fears, as intelligence reports indicate that Israel believes that Turkish efforts to establish a military presence at the base have been “temporarily thwarted,” but it has not completely abandoned its ambitions.

These statements come at a time when Israeli-Turkish relations are witnessing increasing tension against the backdrop of the Syrian file, as Israel believes that any expansion of Turkish influence in Syria represents a direct challenge to its regional security structure.

Analysts believe that Sa'ar's position reflects a new Israeli strategy that aims to set clear "red lines" before Türkiye, while at the same time keeping the door to diplomacy open to avoid a broad regional confrontation.