Israeli defence minister Israel Katz has said that a strike on northwestern Syria’s Abu Duhur military airport was conducted due to alleged plans by Turkey to deploy troops thee.

Katz said in a statement that the airbase attack, which was launched overnight on Monday, "came in light of the clear intelligence received regarding Turkey’s intentions to carry out activities there that would endanger the security of the State of Israel".

He added that, following discussions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the military, “it was agreed that before granting approval [for the strike], a direct warning would be issued to the Syrian regime at the highest levels in an attempt to prevent the move, and that is what was done".

Both Syria and Turkey have rejected claims that there were plans to deploy Turkish troops to the base or to establish a permanent Turkish presence there.

US envoy for Syria and Iraq, Tom Barrack described the attack as an "unnecessary escalation," adding that Israel was "baiting" Turkey into a conflict for electoral gain.

Katz dismissed the comments as being "full of inaccuracies and positions that contradict the position of US President Trump".