The IDF struck the Abu al-Duhur military airfield after troops received intelligence that Turkey sought to place a radar and an air defense system manned by Turkish troops at the Syrian base, sources confirmed to The Jerusalem Post.
On Saturday, KAN News reported that Israel informed the US that intelligence suggested that Turkey was set to dispatch a radar, troops, and air defense systems to a base in Syria.
While the IDF did not tell the US when the Turkish military systems were set to arrive, officials pointed to the Abu al-Duhur base as a possible target due to its proximity to the Turkish border.
Israeli sources told KAN News on Saturday that the four IDF strikes were aimed at the base’s runway to prevent Turkish troops from landing.
“Since the diplomatic message did not get through, Israel delivered it through a targeted warning strike,” one official told KAN.
Defense Minister Katz: IDF warned Syria directly before strikes on base
This comes after Defense Minister Katz said earlier on Saturday that the IDF issued a direct warning to senior Syrian officials before strikes on the Abu al-Duhur airfield “in an attempt to prevent the move.”
“After several discussions that the prime minister and I held with the IDF and the various security officials, it was agreed that before approval was given, a direct warning would be issued to the Syrian regime at the highest levels in an attempt to prevent the move, and that is what was done,” he said.
“After the request went unanswered, the prime minister and I authorized the IDF to carry out the strike, and it was carried out successfully. Erdogan was caught with his hand in the cookie jar and was forced to back down,” Katz said.
