Turkish fighter jets reportedly issued electronic warnings and jammed Israeli aircraft over Syria on Friday, in a rare move aimed at stopping Israeli airstrikes in the country.
The Israeli Broadcasting Authority confirmed the interference, stating: “Turkish aircraft are sending warning signals and jamming Israeli fighter jets to make them leave Syrian airspace.”
The military standoff comes as Israeli warplanes carried out strikes on several locations in Syria, including areas in the Hama and Damascus regions. According to Syria’s state news agency SANA, one civilian was killed and several others were injured in the recent Israeli airstrikes.
The strikes occurred just hours after Israeli warplanes hit a location near the presidential palace in Damascus, in the wake of earlier government assaults on the Druze community.
Turkey’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs earlier urged Israel to cease its airstrikes in Syria, emphasizing that “at this sensitive stage for Syria, it is the duty of the international community to contribute to establishing security and stability in Syria.”
“In this context, Israel must put an end to its airstrikes, which harm efforts toward Syria’s unity and territorial integrity,” the ministry further said.
Tensions between Israel and Turkey have intensified amid reports of Ankara expanding its military presence in Syria. Turkish forces are said to be aiming to maintain a foothold in key airbases, including T4 in Homs.
In March, Israeli airstrikes reportedly targeted parts of the T4 base just before a scheduled visit by Turkish military officials. These strikes are viewed as an effort to disrupt Ankara’s plans to deploy troops, establish air defenses, and transport military equipment into Syria.
Last month, Turkey and Israel began discussions aimed at finding ways to prevent accidental military confrontations in Syria.
Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stated that coordination with Israel is essential to prevent misunderstandings, similar to Turkey’s existing coordination with the U.S. and Russia in Syria. “There needs to be a deconfliction mechanism,” Fidan said.
