Turkey denies Israeli claims of posing a threat, says Netanyahu seeks to justify Syria strikes

Turkey has denied Israeli allegations that it posed a threat by preparing to send troops to a base in Syria.

"The frivolous allegations put forward by the Israeli Prime Minister's office aim to legitimize Israel's unlawful airstrikes targeting Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity," Turkey's Communications Directorate said in a statement quoted by the Anadolu state news agency.

Earlier, Benjamin Netanyahu's office said in a statement on Tuesday that Syria's acceptance of Turkish troops at its air base posed a "threat" to its security after Israeli air strikes targeted the Abu al-Duhur air base in Idlib.

According to Anadolu, Ankara said Israeli accusations stem from Netanyahu's intention to pursue his "expansionist and destabilizing policies" in the region ahead of elections.

"Like the vast majority of the international community, Türkiye advocates for lasting peace in our region. The only way to achieve this is for Netanyahu to abandon his aggressive and coercive policies and respect international law," the statement said.

"Türkiye will resolutely continue to cooperate with the Syrian government on a legitimate basis to establish peace, stability, and prosperity in Syria, and will never allow the destabilization of Syria," the statement said.