Why Israel and Turkey are trading insults and jockeying for power in neighbouring Syria

When Israeli jets struck the Abu al-Duhur airbase in northern Syria on August 18, Israel said the attack was meant to stop Turkish forces from deploying there to help rebuild Syria’s army.

US intelligence found no evidence to support the claim, and Turkey and Syria denied any such plan.

In the weeks since, Israel and Turkey – the two countries with the most powerful militaries in the region – have traded their harshest words in years.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office has branded Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan an “ antisemitic tyrant ”, while Erdoğan has accused Israel of being a “ terror state ”.

Israeli media also reported this week that Turkish warships have approached Israeli vessels in the Mediterranean Sea and forced them to change course.

Both governments say they do not want war.

So, why are two close US allies – one a NATO member, the other a nuclear power – suddenly circling each other over Syria? The tensions are tied to Syria’s collapse in late 2024 when a rebel army led by now-President Ahmed al-Sharaa overthrew dictator Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

Syria’s two powerful neighbours have since exploited this moment very differently: Turkey has acted at the invitation of the Syrian authorities, while Israel has not.

It therefore has no legal basis to police Syria’s territory or determine its security and political future.

Rushing to fill a power vacuum When al-Sharaa came into power as Syria’s new leader, Turkey became the main backer and military partner of his new government.

Turkey undoubtedly wants a strong, unified state anchored to Ankara and has agreed to train and equip Syria’s army .

Ankara has also stationed about 20,000 troops inside Syria, ostensibly to help maintain Syria’s territorial integrity and prevent attacks from Kurdish separatists over the border.

However, some believe its real intentions are to expand its presence to central Syria as a bulwark against Israel.

Turkish tensions with Israel did not begin over Syria.