As Israel pummels Syria, can it avoid collision course with Turkey?
Israel is concerned not only about the intentions of the new Syrian regime, but also about Turkey's growing presence and influence in the region.
TEL AVIV — Despite feelers about mediated contacts on normalization between Israel and the new government in Damascus, Israel has been escalating its military air strikes on targets within Syria while working to prevent Turkish advancement in the country.
Israel says the bombings are intended to prevent armed groups from gaining a foothold in post-Assad Syria. But its unstated goal is clearly to deter Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan from establishing military bases or proxy militias in Syria near the border with Israel. Israeli security officials say they learned a bitter lesson from allowing the buildup of Iran-backed militias along its borders with Gaza and Lebanon, which resulted in the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre in southern Israel and the ensuing war with Hezbollah and Hamas.
"We have been burned by the Shiite militias that Iran established in the region," a senior Israeli political source told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity. "We have no intention of letting this phenomenon repeat itself, with other insurgents replacing them. We will no longer be silent in the face of hostile buildup on our borders. Anyone who wants calm must stop beefing up its forces and threatening Israel. This is the only way to protect the residents of the country’s north."
Israel concerned about Turkey's intentions
