Report: Washington rejects request to strike Turkish sites in Syria

Israel’s Channel 13 reported today that Israel had asked the U.S. administration several weeks ago to approve a strike targeting sites linked to Turkey inside Syria, but the White House rejected the request and did not give the operation the green light.

According to the report, the Israeli request comes amid rising tensions over Turkey’s growing role in Syria. Ankara is working to expand its military and security influence in the country, as Israel becomes increasingly sensitive to any regional military deployment that could create new dynamics on the Syrian scene.

Channel 13 added that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is seeking to strengthen his country’s control over strategic sites and facilities in Syria, including airports and storage facilities, with the approval of Ahmed al-Sharaa.

The Israeli report linked Washington’s rejection of the request to the growing ties between the U.S. President Donald Trump and Erdogan, as well as the U.S. administration’s desire to avoid a direct confrontation between Israel and Turkey inside Syria.

These developments come amid growing competition between Israel and Turkey over influence in Syria, particularly as Ankara seeks to consolidate its role in the country’s new phase, while Israel remains committed to preventing military developments it considers a threat to its security and strategic interests.

Trump previously spoke about his relationship with Erdogan and indicated that he could mediate between Turkey and Israel over disagreements related to Syria. He emphasized that he has a good relationship with the Turkish president, signaling Washington’s desire to manage differences between its two allies rather than allow them to escalate into a direct confrontation.

A-H 

ANHA