Israel’s April 2 airstrike on Syria’s T4 airbase was aimed at halting Turkish efforts to establish a military foothold in the country, according to Israeli and Western sources cited in media reports.
The T4 airbase, located near Palmyra in Homs province, was reportedly set to host Turkish-operated armed drones and possibly advanced S-400 air defense systems, part of Ankara’s broader strategy to expand influence in Syria after the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December.
An Israeli official told The Jerusalem Post the strike was intended as a direct message to Turkey: “Do not establish a military base in Syria and do not interfere with Israeli operations in the region.”
Satellite images published after the strike showed large craters on the runway and damage to key infrastructure, rendering the airfield unusable for heavy transport aircraft. Israeli forces have targeted T4 multiple times in the past week, but the April 2 attack was among the most extensive.
According to Middle East Eye, Turkish plans for T4 include converting the base into a drone hub and temporarily deploying Russian-made S-400 systems, which Israeli analysts warn could threaten the country’s freedom of air operations, especially for its F-35 fighter jets.
Turkey is also reportedly in talks with the new Syrian authorities — installed after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government in December — over a defense pact that would involve training Syrian troops and opening Turkish-operated airbases in central Syria.
While previous Israeli strikes have focused on Iranian-linked targets in Syria, the latest developments suggest a shift toward countering Turkish military expansion. The new government in Damascus established by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which led anti-Assad forces with Turkish support, has yet to gain full control over the country.