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The United States notified Türkiye in advance of Israel’s military strikes on Iran last Friday, two sources familiar with the matter told Middle East Eye (MEE), aiming to reduce the risk of regional fallout, particularly in Syria.
According to the report, the U.S. delivered the notification late on Thursday, just hours before the Israeli strikes began, amid concerns about tensions between Türkiye and Israel regarding recent developments in Syria.
MEE reported that Israeli fighter jets used Syrian and Iraqi airspace to conduct the strikes on Iranian targets. Israel has reportedly dismantled all aerial defense systems in Syria since December, rendering Syrian airspace exposed.
Iraq filed an official complaint with the United Nations Security Council on Friday, condemning Israel’s use of Iraqi airspace.
Reuters also reported that the U.S. State Department sent a diplomatic note to several Middle Eastern countries, including Qatar, ahead of the strikes. MEE reached out to the Turkish Foreign Ministry and the U.S. State Department for comment, but neither had responded at the time of publication.
Tensions between Türkiye and Israel have escalated in recent months as Ankara and Damascus continue discussions to establish Turkish-supported military bases in Syria, according to the report.
Türkiye reportedly aims to assist Syria in combating remnants of the Daesh terrorist group and seeks operational control over the Tiyas air base (T4) in eastern Syria.
Sources cited by MEE said Ankara’s deployment activities at the base have proceeded cautiously due to ongoing Turkish-Israeli deconfliction talks in Baku. One Israeli concern, according to MEE, is Türkiye’s potential to monitor Israeli aerial operations and possibly deploy S-400 air defense systems in Syrian territory.
An Israeli official told MEE that Israel does not want Türkiye to track its aircraft, especially during missions against Iranian targets.
A Turkish source told MEE that while Ankara is unlikely to deploy S-400 systems in Syria due to U.S. objections, Türkiye may use lower-altitude air defense assets to counter drone and other threats.
Following Israel’s military action, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held several phone calls with leaders from Iran, the U.S., and Russia, emphasizing that diplomacy remains the only viable solution to the crisis.
Over the weekend, Erdogan told U.S. President Donald Trump that negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program represent the only peaceful path forward and offered Türkiye’s support as a facilitator for talks.
Sources in Ankara said Türkiye placed its air force on high alert and convened emergency security meetings to evaluate potential regional spillover scenarios triggered by the Israeli strikes.
During a phone call with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, Erdogan reportedly advised Damascus to stay out of the Iran-Israel confrontation and instead focus on internal security and counterterrorism efforts.
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