Israel strikes Syrian air base near Turkish delegation
An Israeli strike on a Syrian air base came hours after Turkish officials left the site, raising the risk of a direct clash between Israel and a NATO member.
- Israel bombed runways and hangars at an air base in northern Syria, close to the Turkish border, and first denied doing it.
- A Turkish delegation had been at the base hours earlier reviewing rebuilding work; no one was killed.
- Netanyahu called it a preemptive strike against a Turkish military buildup, while Syria says there was no buildup and the base was mostly empty.
- The US ambassador to Turkey and Syria confirmed Israel was behind the strikes and called them an unnecessary escalation.
- Turkey says the attack is meant to justify expansion and play to voters before Israel's elections.
Outlook: Both sides look to be preparing for a wider confrontation, and any Israeli strike that kills Turkish personnel would drag NATO into it.