Are Israel’s Repeated Airstrikes on Syria Sending a Message to Turkey?

The Israeli newspaper Jerusalem Post has reported that Tel Aviv sees Turkish military presence in Syria as a strategic threat, citing a security source who warned that any Turkish airbase in Syria would undermine Israel’s “freedom of aerial operations” in the region.

This concern arises amid growing coordination between Damascus and Ankara, with the Israeli political and military leadership reportedly holding closed-door discussions in recent weeks to assess the implications of a possible Turkish military foothold in Syria.

T-4 Airbase Targeted as a “Message”

In late March, Israeli warplanes launched an airstrike on the T-4 airbase near Homs in central Syria. According to the same Israeli source, the strike served as a direct message to both Syria and Turkey—that Israel will not tolerate any challenge to its aerial dominance.

Meanwhile, Ohad Tal, a member of Israel’s Knesset from the far-right Religious Zionism Party and member of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, called for a hardline stance against Turkey.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Tal labeled Turkey as a “hostile state”, urging Israel to shut down the Turkish embassy immediately, and instead strengthen its alliances with Greece and Cyprus, while seeking U.S. backing to counter Ankara’s ambitions.

Turkey’s Strategic Moves in Syria

Back in February, Bloomberg reported that Turkey was exploring the establishment of military bases inside Syria, along with plans to train a new Syrian army under the umbrella of a transitional government in Damascus.

Such moves have caused alarm in Tel Aviv, which views Turkish-backed Islamists and increased military coordination between Ankara and the new Syrian leadership as a direct threat to Israel’s long-standing objectives in southern Syria.

Atlantic Council: Israel Miscalculating in Syria

A report published by the Atlantic Council on Wednesday warned that Israel’s current strategy in southern Syria could backfire, particularly its attempts to fragment the country and encourage separatist tendencies among the Druze population.

The report cautions that this policy may lead to long-term chaos, inadvertently empowering Iran and regional resistance movements, while destabilising the southern front.

The think tank also highlighted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s increasingly hostile tone toward the Syrian government, which he labeled as an “Islamist regime backed by Turkey”. Netanyahu has publicly called for disarming southern Syria and preventing Syrian forces from returning to areas south of Damascus—under the pretext of protecting Druze communities.

Intensified Airstrikes on Damascus, Homs, and Hama

On Wednesday, Syria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that Israeli warplanes conducted multiple air raids on Hama military airport, causing major destruction and injuring both civilians and military personnel.

Simultaneously, Israeli fighter jets struck the Scientific Research Center in the Barzeh district of Damascus and repeatedly bombed the T-4 airbase in eastern Homs, causing further injuries and damage after more than 10 separate strikes.

Syria Condemns Israel’s Escalation

In a statement, the Syrian Foreign Ministry condemned the latest wave of Israeli aggression, calling it a blatant attempt to re-normalise violence, destabilise Syria, and prolong the suffering of its people.

“These repeated attacks are unjustified escalations aimed at destabilising the region,”

the ministry stated.

“They represent clear violations of international law, and we urge the international community to pressure Israel to halt its aggression.”

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