Turkish warplanes face off with Israeli fighters over Syria – reports

An aerial confrontation took place between Israeli and Turkish forces in Syrian airspace, according to media reports on Sunday. According to the Sözcü Turkish opposition media, Turkish F-16s reportedly entered Syrian airspace over the weekend and sent “warning messages” to Israeli planes involved in a wave of strikes there.

The Israel Defense Forces denied such reports. According to the Turkish media outlet, the incident occurred as part of one of the most intense Israeli operations since the fall of the Assad regime. Several of the strikes’ targets were reportedly pro-Turkish militias operating in northern Syria, including the Sultan Murad and Suleyman Shah brigades, which are affiliated with Ankara.

According to various Turkish sources and Reuters, Turkey seeks to strengthen its military presence in Syria in the post-Assad era, and these warnings come in this context as Israel has also asserted its military force. Turkish units reportedly aim at establishing themselves permanently in several strategic airbases, including the T4 base in Homs and another in Hama, deploying notably drones and air defense systems.

In early March, Israel allegedly struck the T4 base a few hours before the arrival of a Turkish military delegation that came to evaluate the site. The infrastructure, including the control tower and runways, were said to have been destroyed. Ankara accuses Israel of seeking to destabilize Syria. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan recently stated that “Israeli attacks compromise the balance in the region since the fall of the Syrian regime.”