Türkiye-Israel tensions deepen over Syria, Netanyahu Interpol request

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Saturday that it fired towards a militant who was in the final stages of preparing an attack in southern Syria, citing threats to its soldiers, days after Israeli strikes on a Syrian airbase near the Turkish border.

The latest strike took place as tensions between Israel and Türkiye have intensified following Ankara's request for an Interpol Red Notice against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Analysts view the Interpol move as a reflection of the widening rift between the two countries in recent years, but see the action as largely symbolic in nature.

Rising Türkiye-Israel tensions over Syria Türkiye has requested the issuance of an Interpol Red Notice for Netanyahu following an arrest warrant issued against him last month on a charge of "genocide." The Interpol request was made in connection with an ongoing Turkish criminal case over the interception of activists aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla, which set sail from Türkiye in May in a renewed attempt to break Israel's blockade of Gaza, according to Turkish Justice Minister Akin Gurlek on Friday.

The flotilla was intercepted by Israel, and those on board were subsequently deported.

The Israeli Prime Minister's Office responded by accusing Türkiye of "hypocrisy" and referring to its President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as an "antisemitic dictator," saying Erdogan was seeking to extend what it called his "aggression" against Israel into Syria.

The statement added that Israel would continue to act against what it described as threats to its security.

Türkiye's Communications Directorate hit back, describing the Israeli statement targeting Erdogan as "outrageous ravings" devoid of historical fact and political seriousness.

It accused the Netanyahu government of using "cheap politics" for electoral gain and seeking to portray Türkiye as a new threat, warning that efforts to escalate tensions for domestic political competition posed risks to regional and global peace and stability.

The diplomatic exchanges followed Israeli airstrikes on Tuesday targeting the Abu al-Duhur military airport in Idlib Province in northwestern Syria, which caused material damage but no casualties.

The airport, a major Syrian airbase, is situated near routes linking parts of Idlib, Aleppo and Hama provinces.

Israel said the airstrike was aimed at preventing what it described as a potential Turkish military deployment at the Syrian airbase, which it said would pose a threat to its security.

Ankara has firmly denied any such deployment.