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Netanyahu Says Israel Struck Syrian Base To Warn Turkey

Netanyahu Says Israel Struck Syrian Base To Warn Turkey
Netanyahu says Israel struck Syrian base to warn Turkey against military deployment · firstpost.com

Israel and Turkey were discussing a possible Turkish military presence at a Syrian airfield near Aleppo.

Israel said it did not want Turkey to establish a base there.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel first gave Turkey a general warning.

He said Israel later made the warning clearer because it seemed not to have been understood.

The clearer message was apparently an Israeli strike on the Abu al-Duhur airbase.

The strike damaged the base, but no deaths were reported.

Turkey condemned the attack and disagreed with Israel’s explanation.

A U.S. envoy also blamed Israel and called the strike an unnecessary escalation.

Key facts

Target
The strike targeted the Abu al-Duhur airbase in northwestern Syria.
Reported damage
The strike damaged the Syrian airbase, with no reported casualties.
Israeli position
Netanyahu said Israel would not tolerate a Turkish military entrenchment moving southward.
Warnings
Netanyahu said Israel initially objected in general terms before issuing a clearer warning.
Prior Israeli statement
Israel’s government had stopped short of explicitly claiming responsibility before Netanyahu’s comments.
U.S. response
Tom Barrack blamed Israel and called the strike an “unnecessary escalation.”
Turkish response
Turkey condemned the strikes and rejected Israel’s justification.

Quotes

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

Prime Minister of Israel

“We will not tolerate a Turkish military entrenchment moving southward, because it threatens us.”
firstpost.com NDTV
“Apparently they didn't hear it, so we made sure they understood it more clearly.”
firstpost.com

Sources

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