Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz has escalated his rhetoric against Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, accusing him of leading Turkey into 'dangerous adventures' in Syria.
Katz stated, as reported by Hebrew media, that 'Israel will not allow anyone to threaten its security,' amidst increasing tensions between Ankara and Tel Aviv over developments in the Syrian landscape.
Katz's stance follows Israeli airstrikes on Tuesday targeting the Abu al-Zuhur airbase near Aleppo, sparking a new political dispute between Israel and Turkey.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government justified the attack with concerns of possible Turkish troop deployments at the base. Ankara dismissed these justifications as 'indefensible claims' aimed, in their view, at legitimizing violations of Syrian sovereignty.
According to a military source and a civilian residing near the site, the airstrikes did not result in any casualties, while the Israeli military declined to comment on the incident.
The Abu al-Zuhur base is located in northwest Syria, approximately 70 kilometers east of the Turkish border. It has been out of service as a dedicated military airport since 2013, having changed hands multiple times during Syria's prolonged 14-year conflict.