Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday evening referenced a reported conversation between the Mossad chief and the Syrian foreign minister, reiterating that Israel will not tolerate Turkish military entrenchment in Syria. 'We made the message clear: Don't,' Netanyahu said, adding that Israel made sure Turkey understood 'better,' according to The Zioneer.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tonight hinted at a diplomatic channel between the Mossad and the Syrian government, while reiterating Israel's opposition to Turkish military entrenchment. In remarks reported by The Zioneer at 21:13 Jerusalem, Netanyahu referenced a Reuters report about a conversation between the Mossad chief and the Syrian foreign minister. He said Israel "made sure they understood it better," implying unspecified action to reinforce the message.
The remarks cap a sequence of warnings tonight. At 20:26, Netanyahu issued a direct warning to Turkish President Erdogan, as reported by The Zioneer. Minutes later, at 20:36, The Zioneer published three consecutive reports: Netanyahu confirmed the Israeli Air Force strike on Abu al-Duhur airbase was a message to Turkey, stated that the strike followed Turkey's failure to heed Israeli warnings, and concluded that Israel "made sure Turkey understood." Since the preceding day, the tone has escalated: on Tuesday, Defense Minister Katz warned Erdogan "not to mess with us" at a security conference. Earlier this evening at 18:49, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir visited Syria and sent a direct message to Turkey, stating that Israel will not allow hostile forces to entrench near its borders.
The confrontation stems from deepening Israeli concern over Turkish expansion in Syria. As The Zioneer reported on July 14, a security source warned that Turkey is establishing a deep presence and rebuilding the Syrian army. Background reports from July have highlighted Jerusalem's fears that Turkish military entrenchment, potentially backed by U.S. diplomatic engagement, could threaten Israel's security interests. Netanyahu has previously described Erdogan as an adversary, and raised the issue of Turkish hostility in a call with President Trump.
The Reuters report referenced by Netanyahu has not been independently confirmed, and details of the alleged Mossad-Syrian foreign minister conversation remain undisclosed. The specific nature of the Israeli action referred to by the prime minister also remains unverified.
5 developments
- DevelopingTrump says Israel's counterstrike in Iran was 'unnecessary' but says he understands why it acted
- StrongNetanyahu: Iran regime fall is the real victory; Syria open to role in Lebanon
- StrongTrump says Israel's Beirut strike was not coordinated with US, plans to call Netanyahu to urge restraint
- StrongStrike in Syria attributed to Israel; commentator calls it a clear signal to Turkey
Source and signal
- Open-source intake