Turkey ‘crossed a red line’ in Syria, Israeli ambassador to US Leiter tells ‘Post’ – interview

Israeli Ambassador to the US, Yechiel Leiter, stated that Turkey "crossed a red line" by planning a significant military expansion in Syria, leading to an Israeli strike on the Abu al-Duhur airbase near Aleppo. Leiter explained that Israel had clear intelligence of Turkey's intentions, which violated understandings reached during the Biden administration to "freeze the existing situation" in Syria. These understandings were reaffirmed in January 2026 at a meeting in Paris involving Syrian, US, and Israeli officials. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu conveyed Israel's message: "Don't."

• Leiter noted that while Israel occupies 78 sq. miles in a Syrian security zone, Turkey has annexed 3,500 sq. miles in northern Syria.
• The US administration has not condemned the Israeli strike, aligning with the policy that the agreed-upon freeze should continue.
• Israel believes Syria does not seek confrontation and that Turkey's planned move was imposed on the Syrians.
• Leiter expressed Israel's openness to dialogue with both Syria and Turkey, despite Turkey's current support for Hamas and Hezbollah, which he stated makes it illogical for Turkish influence in the region to grow.