In a statement to the French agency, Sa'ar emphasized, "We are committed to maintaining the status quo and will not accept the establishment of Turkish military bases in Syria." He underscored that Israel's stance is rooted in preventing a scenario akin to Iran's penetration in Lebanon and Gaza from replicating with Turkey in Syria.
The Israeli minister's remarks follow a series of Israeli airstrikes on August 18 that targeted the Abu al-Duhur airbase in northwestern Idlib, Syria. Military analysts interpreted this as a clear Israeli message to Turkey, rejecting any permanent military presence on Syrian soil.
According to Israeli intelligence sources, the strike aimed to prevent the deployment of Turkish forces at the base and to thwart Turkey's efforts to establish a permanent military foothold in northern Syria.
Explaining Israel's position, Sa'ar mentioned that Israel scrutinizes how Iran infiltrated Lebanon and Gaza, noting that Tel Aviv "does not want a similar situation to develop between Turkey and Syria."
Despite the tough stance, the Israeli minister asserted that Tel Aviv "has no interest in escalating tensions with Turkey," stressing that Israel "always prefers diplomatic solutions" to resolve conflicts.
Conversely, a senior Syrian official on August 20 denied any plans for a Turkish military presence at the Abu al-Duhur base, stating that Damascus "has no intention of granting Turkey a military base in Syria."
However, this denial did not entirely alleviate Israeli concerns, as intelligence reports suggest that Israel believes Turkey's efforts to establish a military presence at the base have been "temporarily thwarted," but Turkey has not abandoned its ambitions completely.
These statements come amidst increasing Israeli-Turkish tensions over the Syrian issue, where Israel perceives any expansion of Turkish influence in Syria as a direct challenge to its regional security architecture.
Analysts believe Sa'ar's stance reflects a new Israeli strategy aimed at drawing clear "red lines" for Turkey, while still keeping diplomatic channels open to avoid a wider regional confrontation.