The Prime Minister’s Office confirmed Tuesday that Israel carried out a strike in Syria, saying the operation was prompted by the deployment of Turkish forces at an air base near Aleppo.
In its first official acknowledgment of the strike, the Prime Minister’s Office said Israel and Syria had agreed to maintain the security status quo, but accused Damascus of violating that understanding by allowing Turkish forces to deploy at the base.
“Israel has repeatedly warned Syria that such a deployment would pose a threat to Israel’s security,” the statement said. “Syria chose to ignore these warnings. Israel will not tolerate threats to its security and would welcome a return to the status quo.”
The strike took place overnight at an air base roughly 70 kilometers (43 miles) from the Turkish border.
Turkey and Syria slam Israel for strikes on Syrian airbase attributed to IDF
The facility had reportedly undergone extensive renovation in recent months, including work on its runways and hangars, with significant Turkish assistance. Recent construction activity had also been documented at the site before the Israeli strike.