Israel hit Turkey in Syria in advance: Tel Aviv studied the article of the NATO charter

Relations between Israel and Turkey continue to deteriorate rapidly. Israel attacked the Syrian airbase in Idlib even before the Turkish military entered there. However, the troops themselves may also attack, writes Israel Hayom, as the NATO charter has been carefully studied in Jerusalem.

"The key fact of the alleged Israeli strike on Abu al-Duhur is what was not in the target: Turkish troops," the Israeli newspaper writes.

On August 18, eight strikes were carried out on the runway and military facilities of the Syrian airbase in Idlib. Later, Israel said that Syria was going to violate the agreed security status quo by allowing the deployment of Turkish troops there, despite repeated warnings from Israel.

"Israel did not wait for the arrival of Turkish troops, aircraft, radars or air defense systems. He destroyed the infrastructure necessary to receive them before the threat appeared," writes Israel Hayom.

The first Turkish soldier changes the price of each subsequent Israeli bomb, the publication continues, and at the same time notes that Jerusalem has studied not only how the fifth article of the NATO charter works, but also where it is applied.

"The treaty protects Turkish territory, but it has nothing to do with Syria and occupied Cyprus," Israel Hayom also noted that collective actions are not automatic and NATO acts on the basis of consensus: each member state determines the response measures that it deems necessary.

The US ambassador to Turkey and special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack called the strike an unnecessary escalation, but it began with an attempt to change the military status quo in Syria, Israel Hayom continues.

"Turkey's Syrian project has gone beyond political influence. Ankara is training Syrian forces and rebuilding military institutions. In 2025, Turkish military groups explored T4, Palmyra and Hama as locations for the deployment of Turkish military forces," the newspaper writes.