Eurasia Press & News
In a notable shift with wide regional implications, Israel launched recent airstrikes targeting key Syrian army sites in Damascus and Suweida, claiming the strikes were necessary to “defend the Druze” amid fierce clashes between Druze militias and Sunni Bedouin tribes in Suweida.
This escalation, according to analysts, places Turkey in a delicate position, particularly with its sensitive political and security implications, as Ankara reassesses its stance on the evolving Syrian landscape. Amid overlapping concerns over border security, counterterrorism, and the stability of the Syrian state, Turkish politicians are feeling unprecedented heat.
In an interview with The New Arab, Turkish security analyst Ersan Ergür explained that safeguarding Syria’s territorial unity has become a cornerstone of Turkey’s national security doctrine. “Ankara no longer views the Syrian file as merely a foreign policy issue,” he said, “but as a matter of internal stability.” He cited Turkey’s long-standing fear of regional fragmentation triggering a spillover of violence and refugee flows.
Ergür noted that Turkey’s strategy is grounded in its “Terror-Free Turkey” project. This framework links regional stability to domestic security “Given Turkey’s geopolitical location and its deep integration with regional trade and security networks, Ankara is invested in stabilising Syria — not only to protect its borders, but to prevent a ring of failed states from emerging on its periphery.”
He added that Turkish decision-makers see Israel’s interventions as dangerous provocations aimed at rekindling sectarian and ethnic tensions—conditions that could spark another civil war and prevent the return of 3.5 million Syrian refugees currently hosted in Turkey.
Ankara swiftly condemned the Israeli strikes on Syria, with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan accusing Tel Aviv of exploiting the Druze crisis to justify broader intervention and threatening Syria’s territorial integrity. Turkey’s Foreign and Defence Ministries echoed this stance, warning that continued escalation could derail reconciliation efforts and spark a wider regional crisis. Ankara also expressed readiness to support Syria’s defence if requested, stressing that Syrian stability is vital to all neighbouring countries.
Turkey blocks Israeli expansion
Ergür argued that Turkey’s Syria policy has evolved beyond self-defence, positioning Ankara as a key regional actor countering Israeli ambitions. “Israel,” he said, “is seeking to expand its influence by backing local militias and dismantling Damascus’ central authority. Turkey is one of the last remaining barriers to that strategy.”
Former Turkish Prime Ministry adviser Cahit Tuz supported this analysis, telling The New Arab that Israel views Turkey as a historical and strategic obstacle to its expansion across the Middle East: “Gaza was just the beginning. Then came Lebanon, Yemen, and Syria. But the ultimate target is Turkey itself,” Tuz said, warning that Ankara’s growing defence capabilities—particularly its drone industry—have unsettled Israeli planners.
This concern is echoed in the 2025 report by Israel’s official Nagel Commission, which declared Turkish influence in Syria to be a greater threat than Iran’s. The report concluded that a Syrian government backed by Ankara could pose a direct threat to Israeli interests in the Levant.
According to Ergür, Israel’s intervention in southern Syria should be understood not only as a tactical operation, but as part of a broader regional power struggle “Tel Aviv is gambling on fragmenting Syria. Ankara is betting on holding it together—both to build regional influence and to avoid the blowback of Israeli adventurism on its doorstep.”
Israel’s David Corridor Plan
International relations scholar Taha Ouda Oğlu described a quiet competition emerging between Israel and Turkey over influence in Syria, particularly through their rival relationships with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
He warned that Israel may be supporting what some regional analysts are calling the “David Corridor”—a reported plan to link Israel with areas east of the Euphrates via Suweida. The concept draws on religious narratives to justify expansion into Syria’s heartland. Ouda argues that this project is “increasingly seen in Ankara as a [real] strategic project threatening Turkish security”.
During the Suweida clashes, Druze spiritual leader Hikmat al-Hijri reportedly called for coordination with SDF and even appealed for assistance from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Ouda refers to this alignment as being “Interpreted by Turkish officials as an Israeli-Kurdish effort to build a de facto buffer zone undermining Damascus and bypassing Ankara”.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan warned against the SDF exploiting the Suweida unrest to expand its foothold in southern Syria. He accused Israel of placing its national security “above the sovereignty of others” and fueling instability as a geopolitical strategy.
President Erdoğan reinforced this message, vowing that Turkey would not tolerate the creation of a “terror corridor” on its southern border—an unmistakable reference to the so-called David Corridor, according to Ouda. “Forces are trying to divide Syria into four ethnic and sectarian entities,” Erdoğan said, “but Turkey will not allow it.”
Ouda emphasized that this isn’t just an alliance of convenience between the SDF and Israel, but a long-term project to redraw Syria’s map “Turkish analysts see the David Corridor as a direct threat to national security. It gives Israel a forward base in the region through its ties to the SDF and certain Druze leaders, enabling it to shape Syria’s future borders in ways that serve its strategic goals.”
Full backing for Damascus
Turkey’s policy toward Damascus has been straightforward and solid. Ankara openly backed the interim government of Ahmed al-Sharaa, viewing him as a stabilising figure capable of preventing Syria’s descent into renewed chaos.
On 22 July, President Erdoğan praised Sharaa’s controversial handling of the Suweida crisis, particularly his success in reaching an understanding with Druze leaders to de-escalate tensions. “President Sharaa made no concessions and took a highly positive step,” Erdoğan had said. “Israel does not want stability in the region, and we must remain alert to this project.”
For Ouda Oğlu, this endorsement marks a clear signal to regional actors and potential spoilers: “Turkey won’t stay silent if Sharaa’s government is destabilised.” He argued that Ankara sees Sharaa as a legitimate partner in rebuilding Syria’s unity and views any Israeli attempt to undermine him as a direct threat to regional balance.
Former adviser Cahit Tuz echoed this, stating that Ankara may soon abandon diplomatic restraint if Israel continues to strike inside Syri.
“So far, Turkey has chosen to respond politically and diplomatically. But if this aggression persists, it could prompt harsher measures to protect Turkish interests and the region’s fragile stability.”
