Turkiye denies military visit to Syria air base hit by Israel
Turkiye has denied having any military presence at a Syrian air base recently struck by Israel, rejecting claims that it was attempting to reactivate the site. While Israel warned against a Turkish military presence, Turkiye vowed to continue supporting Syrian sovereignty and stability.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the complex geopolitical tensions in the Middle East involving Israel, Turkiye, and the ongoing instability in Syria.
Turkiye on Thursday (August 20, 2026) denied having any military presence at an air base in north Syria struck by Israel earlier this week, and vowed to continue "resolutely" supporting Syrian sovereignty.
The denial came two days after Syria accused Israel of hitting a disused military air base near the northwestern city of Aleppo that was damaged during the civil war and has been out of service since 2012.
Israel said a Turkish military delegation had recently visited the site, with a Syrian war monitor saying it was part of efforts to reactivate the base.
"There was no Turkish military delegation at the Abu al-Zuhur airbase before or during the attack carried out by Israel," a defence official told journalists, speaking on condition of anonymity.
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