Israeli media has disclosed new details about the recent attack on Abu al-Duhur Military Airport in Syria's Idlib province. There are growing concerns within Israel's military establishment that public statements against Turkey could lead to unnecessary escalation with Ankara.
According to Israeli channel 'i24NEWS,' intelligence that prompted the strike was gathered over the past few weeks before being presented to the Israeli Army Chief of Staff, Eyal Zamir.
Zamir reportedly shared this intelligence with the political leadership, successfully persuading them to approve the military strike against the airport in Eastern Idlib.
Dispute Over Public Disclosure
The report highlighted that Israel's security establishment was dissatisfied with statements from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yisrael Katz following the operation.
The security establishment preferred the operation remain secret, unlike the approach taken by Netanyahu and Katz in their public comments about the attack.
The report did not specify the nature of the intelligence collected or the exact targets that drove the Israeli military to strike Abu al-Duhur Airport.
Tensions With Turkey Could Intensify
In parallel, Israel's Channel 12 reported that the military expressed concern over Netanyahu's and Katz's public remarks against Turkey.
The military reportedly warned that the statements could lead to unnecessary escalation with Ankara amid tensions associated with Turkish actions in Syria.
According to the report, Israel is preparing for the possibility that further actions may be necessary to counter what it describes as 'Turkish attempts to strengthen its grip on Syria.'
The reports reveal a divide between Israel's military and political leadership on handling operations in Syria, particularly in announcing operations and linking them publicly to Turkish influence.
While the military prefers, according to the Israeli account, to maintain secrecy to avoid broadening confrontations, Netanyahu and Katz have opted for public statements against Ankara, raising concerns of a shift towards more direct confrontation.
The Israeli reports did not mention a new Turkish response to this information, nor was there clarity on whether Israel plans further operations in Syria.