Türkiye Accuses Israel of Threatening Peace in Syria

Türkiye has criticized Israel for actions it claims undermine peace and stability in Syria, highlighting tensions in the region and calling for restraint to prevent further escalation.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has alleged that Israel is hindering the chances for peace in Syria. He also urged all factions within the war-ravaged country to promote ethnic and religious unity.

In late November, several armed opposition groups under the leadership of Hayat Tahrir-al-Sham (HTS) launched an unexpected offensive. They took control of multiple major cities and eventually captured Damascus, the capital, on Saturday. Assad and his family escaped to Russia, where they were granted asylum.

Ankara backs certain Syrian opposition groups that removed Assad over the weekend.

According to Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, Israeli forces subsequently entered southern Syria with the objective of establishing a buffer zone aimed at preventing terrorist attacks.

Speaking to Turkey’s parliament on Tuesday, Fidan expressed that “Israel is endangering the process through which the Syrian people are moving towards peace and stability.” He asserted that “Israel, having devastated Gaza, now poses a threat to our Syrian brothers’ and sisters’ future.”

The foreign minister stated that “Türkiye places significant emphasis on Syria’s national unity, stability, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and prosperity.” He also mentioned that Ankara will collaborate with various regional and global stakeholders to realize these objectives.

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The next day, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Israeli actions and strikes near the Golan Heights are unlikely to aid in stabilizing an already unsettled situation in Syria.

On Tuesday, Israeli media reported that Defense Minister Israel Katz announced the IDF’s plan to create a “sterile defense zone” in southern Syria. This initiative aims to prevent potential terrorist threats and will not involve a permanent Israeli presence. Following the collapse of Assad’s government, Israeli forces took control of the demilitarized buffer area established by the 1974 disengagement agreement near Golan Heights under Israeli occupation.

Additionally, on Tuesday, the Times of Israel reported—citing the IDF—that since Saturday, the Israeli Air Force has targeted approximately 320 sites in Syria. These targets allegedly comprised air-defense systems, missile depots, drones, helicopters, fighter jets, tanks, radars and naval vessels. The newspaper stated that over 70% of Damascus’ military capacity has now been destroyed.

Israel maintains that these preemptive military actions were intended to prevent hostile groups, such as Hezbollah — the Shiite militant organization based in Lebanon — from acquiring advanced weaponry.