Turkish and Israeli officials met in Azerbaijan on Wednesday to discuss ways to prevent unintended military confrontations in Syria, according to sources from both countries cited by Reuters.
The meeting marked the start of what Turkish officials described as “technical talks” aimed at establishing a direct communication channel between the two sides.
Israel confirmed the meeting, stating that the goal was to maintain “security stability” as both nations continue their military activities in Syria.
Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said that coordination with Israel is necessary to avoid misunderstandings, just as Turkey already coordinates with the U.S. and Russia in Syria. “There needs to be a deconfliction mechanism,” Fidan said.
During the meeting, Israel made it clear that “any change in the deployment of foreign forces in Syria, particularly the establishment of Turkish bases in the Palmyra (Tadmor) area, is a red line,” an Israeli official told The Times of Israel.
The official said Israel also emphasized to the Turkish delegation that it is the responsibility of the Syrian government to prevent such developments, warning that “any activity that endangers Israel will threaten the rule of [Syrian President Ahmed] al-Sharaa.”
The talks come after Israel carried out a wave of airstrikes across Syria, including one targeting the T4 air base. The strikes are believed to be an attempt to counter Turkey’s efforts to gain control of the facility.
🚨🇮🇱🇹🇷 As a strong message to Erdogan, Israel conducted the most intensive airstrike in Syria since the fall of Assad, targeting bases in Damascus, Hama, and Homs. The T4 airbase where Turkish forces were expected to arrive next week is also destroyed. pic.twitter.com/uaEJWWwhCM
— Terror Alarm (@Terror_Alarm) April 2, 2025
It was previously reported that Ankara has been in negotiations with Syria’s new leadership to secure military protection and use the base for drone operations.
Officials from both Israel and Turkey confirmed the meetings will continue but there was no timeline shared.
