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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a joint press conference with U.S. President Donald Trump at a White House state dinner room in Washington, D.C., on the 29th of last month (local time). / Reuters, Yonhap

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took a hardline stance, stating that the airstrikes on an air base in northern Syria were the result of Türkiye ignoring Israel's warnings, Reuters reported on August 19 (local time).

Appearing on a podcast on this day, Prime Minister Netanyahu said, "We warned them multiple times, but Syria ignored it," adding, "We struck the air base to deliver a clear message." He emphasized that the strike was a measure to protect security, stating, "The presence of Turkish troops threatening Israel's security cannot be tolerated."

The Israeli Prime Minister's Office also released a statement explaining the background of the airstrike, noting, "Syria attempted to allow the deployment of Turkish forces, which violates existing security agreements."

In response, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani strongly pushed back, calling it "an act of Israeli aggression and an unjustifiable provocation."

The Turkish Presidency also criticized the move, stating, "Israel's groundless claims are an attempt to justify illegal airstrikes," and "an act violating Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity." The Turkish Foreign Ministry urged the international community to take a firmer response by stopping Israel's attacks and holding it accountable.

Tom Barrack, U.S. Ambassador to Türkiye and Presidential Special Envoy for Syria and Iraq, pointed out the airstrikes as "an unnecessary escalation that does not help regional stability."

Jordan's Foreign Ministry also condemned the strike as "a violation of Syrian sovereignty and international law," with Qatar, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia consecutively releasing statements of condemnation as well.

Following the collapse of Syria's Assad regime in December 2024, Israel has struck military facilities inside Syria hundreds of times, keeping the new government's rebuilding of military capabilities in check. Reuters analyzed that this airstrike demonstrates how the conflict between Israel and Türkiye over influence in Syria is escalating further.

                                                                                                            Park Jin-sook