Last week, the Israeli Air Force conducted several air forces in Syria, targeting military facilities, including Hama Air Base and Tiya Air Base (also known as T4).
A strike occurred as Ankara was preparing to inspect the T4 base and send a technical team to carry out a preliminary evaluation of the reconstruction.
Two Western officials told Mee that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had informed his counterparts that Israel has limited windows to hit the T4 base before Turkey placed its assets there. He reportedly said that once Türkiye enters the base will be banned from Israeli projects.
Turkish forces under attack by Israeli forces are at risk of causing a major conflict, even by mistake. However, when air defense systems are introduced at the base, Israeli aircraft will block operation in the area.
Mee reported last week that Ankara was in the process of taking over the T4 base to deploy surveillance and attack drones.
Turkey was also planning to install a HisAR-type air defense system. Ultimately, the Turkish military aims to establish layered air defense systems at and around the base with short, medium and long-range features designed to counter threats from aircraft, drones and missiles.
“The United States is Syria’s ultimate arbitrator, and Washington appears to want both Israel and Turkey to remove the tension.”
The plan includes a temporary deployment of a Russian-made S-400 air defense system until the base reconstruction is complete.
According to the same Western sources, Netanyahu believes progress has been made in reaching a departure agreement with Turkey following an Air Force attack, and negotiations are ongoing.
Netanyahu also argues that Israel continues to insist on a full demilitarization of South Syria, including the existence of Turkey.
Another source familiar with the tensions between Turkey and Israel confirmed that both countries have been in negotiations since Israel was hit by T4 bases.
“Officers in Israel and Turkish have issued the same statement on the same day, saying they are not seeking conflict with each other in Syria,” the source said. “It looked like it was being adjusted.”
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told Reuters on Friday that Turkey has not sought a conflict with Syria’s Israel. The same agency reported statements from senior Israeli officials using the exact same language.
The source added that despite the public threat, Israel is likely to accept Turkish military bases in Hama and Palmyra as part of the Decon arrangement.
The collapse of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government in December and the emergence of Türkiye as a power in Syria’s dominant region has shocked Israel.
MNA/