Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday night that Israel conveyed a clear message during the strike in Syria, using the English word "Don't," and that apparently the intended recipients did not hear it well enough. The remarks follow a series of Israeli statements this evening regarding the operation, which was widely interpreted as a signal to Turkey over its military entrenchment in Syria, as reported by The Zioneer.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu escalated his rhetoric Wednesday night, stating at 23:37 Jerusalem that the message Israel conveyed in the strike in Syria was 'Don't' and that the target 'apparently didn't hear well enough.' The remark capped a rapid sequence of statements this evening as Jerusalem sought to publicly frame the operation as a direct warning to Turkey over its military entrenchment in Syria.
The evening's events unfolded quickly. At 18:44, foreign reports attributed a strike in Syria to Israel, with commentators calling it a clear signal to Turkey, as The Zioneer reported. At 20:26, Netanyahu issued a direct warning to Turkish President Erdogan, saying Israel would not tolerate Turkish military entrenchment in Syria (The Zioneer). By 20:36, the Prime Minister confirmed that the Israeli Air Force had carried out the strike targeting the Abu al-Duhur airbase and that it was a deliberate message to Turkey after Turkish forces ignored Israeli warnings (The Zioneer). At 21:47, Netanyahu stated that Israel had sent a 'clear message' to Turkey (The Zioneer). The chain of reports moved from unattributed foreign accounts to the Prime Minister's own on-record confirmations and elaborations, with each statement adding detail and clarity.
The operation is part of a broader Israeli policy of opposing a permanent Turkish military presence near its northeastern border. As The Zioneer reported, Netanyahu has hinted at a reported conversation between the Mossad chief and the Syrian foreign minister over the issue. The strike on the Abu al-Duhur airbase was described by Netanyahu as a response to Turkey's failure to heed Israeli warnings.
What remains open: Turkey has not officially responded, and the IDF has not issued a formal operational statement. Independent corroboration of the strike's full scope and damage is still pending.
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