Israel Says Syria Strike Averted Larger Security Threat

Israel has said it carried out a strike on a Syrian air base to prevent what it described as a growing security threat, with officials pointing to Turkish military activity in the region.

Doron Spielman, a spokesperson for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office, said Israeli intelligence indicated Turkish troops were preparing to deploy at the Abu al Dahour Air Base in northern Syria, roughly 200 miles from Israeli communities. He said Israel warned Syria repeatedly against allowing the deployment and that Damascus ignored those warnings.

"Israel just stopped a security threat inside Syria from becoming something much bigger," Spielman said in a video statement.

He contrasted the military footprints of the two countries in Syria, saying Turkey holds about 5% of Syrian territory while Israel holds approximately 0.1% along a border facing threats from Hezbollah and ISIS. Spielman argued Turkey faces no comparable threats and yet controls 50 times more Syrian land.

The strike, which occurred early Tuesday, damaged the base but caused no casualties, according to reports. Syria said a Turkish delegation had visited the site before the attack to review rehabilitation work, a claim Turkey's Defense Ministry denied.

Turkey condemned the strikes as reckless and called on Israel to comply with international law, while reaffirming its support for Syria's military rebuilding efforts. The United States' ambassador to Turkey and Syria envoy Tom Barrack, along with several Arab countries, also criticized the action.

Spielman cited Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's past statements calling for Israel's destruction, saying such threats should be taken seriously. He added that Israel is not seeking escalation but will not allow Turkey or any other country to threaten its security.

Netanyahu's office said Israel welcomes a return to the previous status quo along the border and remains committed to keeping the area calm.