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Turkey

Turkey

August 24, 2026

Ankara 2:26 pm

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A Turkish soldier from the 1st Border Regiment Command looks out over the border wall to Syria during alert drills at a military outpost on the Turkey/Syria border on March 2, 2017 in Kilis, Turkey.

Analysis

Why Turkey sees Israeli strikes in Syria as warning over its military role, Mecca Pact

Ankara views Israel’s latest strikes in Syria as part of a broader effort to curb Turkey’s military influence in Damascus and a challenge to its regional defense partnerships.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Turkey/Syria border

Analysis

Turkey bets on US deconfliction as Israel widens Syria red lines

As Washington pushes a new deconfliction mechanism between Turkey and Israel, the Jewish state shows little incentive to accept tighter constraints on its freedom of action in Syria, experts say.

Ezgi Akin

Rina Bassist

By Ezgi Akin , Rina Bassist

ANKARA, TURKEY - JULY 7: U.S. President Donald Trump (L)shakes hands with with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) during a formal arrival at the Bestepe Presidential Palace during the NATO summit on July 7, 2026 in Ankara, Turkey. Leaders from NATO's 32 countries, plus NATO allies like Ukraine, gathered in the Turkish capital to discuss a range of issues involving spending targets, defense industrial production, and support for Ukraine, among other topics. (Photo by Emrah Gurel - Pool/Getty Images)

Analysis

Israel fears Turkey’s Syria ambitions and doubts Trump will stop them

Israeli officials remain skeptical of Turkish and Syrian denials over Ankara’s military ambitions in Syria, warning that a deeper Turkish foothold could threaten Israel’s security and strain its ties with Washington.

In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense

Latest News

Turkey seeks Interpol Red Notices for Netanyahu over Gaza flotilla

Murat Kocabas / Middle East Images / AFP via Getty Images

Turkey signals restraint as war of words with Israel escalates over Syria

Burhaanettin Duran

Turkey looks to expand Syria energy footprint into oil, gas

President Ahmad al-Sharaa meets Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar at the People’s Palace in Damascus, Syria, on Aug. 19, 2026.

Samuel Wendel

Senior Market Research Analyst

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Amberin Zaman

Chief Correspondent

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

Jack Dutton

Chief Business Correspondent

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

Ezgi Akin

Associate Editor (Turkey)

In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO

Francesco Schiavi

In Bologna, reporting on security, defense, economy, governance

Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

How female politicians in Turkey's ruling party help strengthen patriarchy

Female representatives of Turkey's ruling party have been a useful tool to expand patriarchal policies.

US President Donald Trump (3L), US First lady Melania Trump (2L), Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud (C), and Egypt's President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi (3R) pose for a group photo with other leaders of the Muslim world during the inauguration of the Global Center for Combating Extremist Ideology in Riyadh on May 21, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / MANDEL NGAN (Photo credit should read MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Four must-read books on Trump’s Middle East policies

What we learned from Michael Wolff, John Bolton and Bob Woodward about the Trump administration and the Middle East.

ISTANBUL, TURKEY - JULY 29: Detail as a man counts Turkish Lira at a currency exchange office on July 29, 2020 in Istanbul, Turkey. The Turkish Lira remains under pressure after briefly trading at a record low against the euro of 8.17 on Tuesday amid investor concerns around Turkey's foreign denomination debt and potential EU sanctions. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)

Is the worst behind in Turkey’s economic turmoil?

Ankara’s policy reversal on interest rates has led to some positive developments in the economy, but many observers warn that it is still too early to rejoice.

Egypt works to alter Turkey's Libya road map

The first official visit from Egypt to Libya's internationally recognized Tripoli government aims to prevent a possible military push against strategic Sirte under the control of the rival group.

Turkish Foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu gives a press conference with his Hungarian counterpart following their meeting in Ankara, on December 8, 2020. (Photo by Adem ALTAN / AFP) (Photo by ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images)

State Department denies forming group with Turkey on CAATSA sanctions

After Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu claimed that Ankara and the Washington were setting up a working group on US sanctions on Turkey, a State Department spokesperson denied the existence of any such body.

Turkey plays role in livestreaming of northern Syria soccer

With the support of Turkey, a Syrian soccer tournament is being broadcast live on the internet, pushing many to follow the games, and advancing the sports sector in the area.

People, among them representatives of some of European countries' embassies, arrive at a court on December 18, 2020 in Istanbul to attend a hearing in the trial of jailed Turkish businessman and philanthropist Osman Kavala, on charges connected with a failed coup in 2016. - A Turkish court ordered civil society leader Osman Kavala to remain in jail pending trial on charges that rights groups say are part of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's bid to stifle dissent. The presiding judge rejected a defence reques

Top Turkish court rejects appeal for release of philanthropist Kavala

Turkey’s Constitutional Court has rejected an appeal for the release of philanthropist Osman Kavala, ruling his more than three-year imprisonment without conviction did not violate his rights in contradiction to rulings by the European Court of Human Rights.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses a protest rally in Istanbul on May 18, 2018, against the recent killings of Palestinian protesters on the Gaza-Israel border and the US embassy move to Jerusalem. (Photo by OZAN KOSE / AFP) (Photo by OZAN KOSE/AFP via Getty Images)

Israel spurns Turkish bid to improve ties

In the past few weeks, Ankara has made several overtures toward rapprochement with Israel, yet Jerusalem seems to be waiting for something solid.

A container ship sails to marmara sea on December 18, 2019 in Istanbul. (Photo by Ozan KOSE / AFP) (Photo by OZAN KOSE/AFP via Getty Images)

Erdogan hails 'new phase' in Turkey-UK ties with trade agreement

Turkey and the United Kingdom's increasing discord with the European Union make them natural partners.

A Russian Mil Mi-17 military helicopter flies by a soldier during a joint Russian-Turkish patrol convoy in the eastern countryside of the town of Darbasiyah near the border with Turkey in Syria's northeastern Hasakah province on December 7, 2020. (Photo by Delil SOULEIMAN / AFP) (Photo by DELIL SOULEIMAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Turkey sticks to its guns on Russian S-400s despite US sanctions

Voices are growing louder in Turkey questioning why these systems were ever purchased, considering the headaches they have caused for Ankara.

Turkish journalist sentenced to prison over report on Turkey sending weapons to Syria

Can Dundar was tried in absentia. The now Germany-based journalist reported on Turkish support for Syrian rebel groups in 2015, which angered President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

New draft law seeks to paralyze Turkish civil society

Groups across the ideological spectrum say the law, aimed at keeping Turkey from being blacklisted by the international money laundering watchdog, includes articles that will severely hamper their work.