Turkey aims to hamper Israeli airstrikes on Syria
Turkey has engaged in jamming operations against Israeli aircraft as they continue to launch airstrikes on Syria, according to The New Arab citing Syria’s official news agency SANA and the Israeli Broadcasting Authority on May 3rd.
Turkish fighter jets reportedly issued electronic warning signals in an attempt to prevent Israeli strikes across Syria.
The move from Turkey comes in the wake of repeated strikes on Syria from Israel, including in the Hama and Damascus areas, with SANA reporting that one person was killed and others wounded in attacks near Damascus.
Turkey has growing more frustrated at Israeli aggression in Syria, with President Erdogan recently saying that “Israel is turning into a problematic country that directly threatens the stability of the region, especially with its attacks on Lebanon and Syria.”
Since the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, both Turkey and Israel have sought to gain greater influence in Syria.
Israeli ministers have claimed to have no interest in confrontation with Turkey or within Syria, instead their primary goal is to merely limited Turkish influence within the region.
Turkey has repeatedly called for Israel to deescalate tensions in Syria by stopping airstrikes in the country.
Just days before the most recent round of Israeli strikes, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned that “at this sensitive stage for Syria, it is the duty of the international community to contribute to establishing security and stability in Syria”.
Israel has not been receptive despite warnings of over-aggression from other regional powers, including Egypt, who condemned airstrikes on Syria in the strongest possible terms.
Instead of lowering the intensity of their strikes on Syria, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant framed the attack as a “warning message” to the Syrian government.
Israel has vowed to protect the Druze minority living in Syria despite the fact that reports from within Syria claim that the majority of Druze citizens have distanced themselves from Israel.
Reports have also claimed that a recent Israeli strike on the southern Syrian province of Suweida killed four Druze citizens.
The New Arab, SANA, Israeli Broadcasting Authority, Maghrebi
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