Why does Turkey claim that it can come at any time of the night, while Israel bombs silently and continuously?
Pars fly low in the depths of every night, The crimson flag that proudly ripples in this glorious twilight, shall never fade.
General Situation in Syria
Syria is a fragmented country divided between regions controlled by the US, Russia and Turkey, as well as Iran and the regime. The fragmentation of this country continues to concern Turkey in terms of border security and the fight against terrorism. The Syrian landscape remains incredibly complex in terms of the positions of other countries and parties in Syria, their relations with each other and the future of the regime.
On the other hand, the State of Israel is positioning itself as far away from the chaos in Syria as possible, as if it has nothing to do with the instability in Syria, and is working to create such a perception. However, it does not neglect to make efforts to shape the future of Syria in line with its own interests and expectations, especially by aligning itself with American policies.
Israeli Airstrikes on Syria
In line with this policy, Israel sees Iran's presence in Syria as a threat to itself and does not hesitate to use force when necessary. As a matter of fact, in recent weeks, we have witnessed Israeli airstrikes on Syria's Aleppo and Damascus airports.
On May 23, 2022, Turkey's Possible Fifth Syria Operation, which came to the agenda with President Erdoğan's statement that "we can come suddenly one night", is waiting on the shelf. Israel, on the other hand, is quietly achieving its goals. It does not make noise, it conducts operations.
As I have written before, Turkey, just like Israel, should make it its primary military operational policy to neutralize the elements in Syria that may pose a risk and threat to it, using airstrikes and, when necessary, special forces to achieve its objectives, avoid statements that raise tensions, and focus on quietly going about its business.
Will only air and special operations be sufficient for Turkey in Syria?
The Impact of Israel's Airstrikes in Syria
According to Israel, in recent weeks, Iran's moves in the region to establish itself in Syria have continued. This includes Iranian threats against US forces in eastern Syria. In addition to placing weapons in Syria, Iran is allegedly transferring them to Hezbollah and working with militant and terrorist groups in Syria.
In this respect, the complexity and fragmentation of Syria is not new, but it has become a focal point for Israel in recent weeks. Israel does not want Iran to somehow remain "in play" inside Syria.
And it is reinforcing this reluctance with force. Last week, Syria's state news agency SANA reported that Israel had carried out airstrikes on Aleppo and Damascus airports, a claim echoed by Iranian media. According to SANA, the airstrikes were carried out over the Mediterranean Sea from the direction of Latakia and damaged the runway of the airport, causing its temporary closure. In general, the Israeli airstrikes targeted the international airport in Aleppo, the Masyaf area southwest of Aleppo, which is believed to be used as a military base by Iranian militias, the Syrian Scientific Studies and Research Center (SSRC) in the same area, and other locations near Damascus.
Indeed, a report by ImageSat International (ISI) noted that Aleppo International Airport was damaged in an airstrike on August 31. According to ISI, the attack on the airports was aimed at preventing an Iranian Antonov AN-74 cargo plane from landing. The plane was flown by Yas Air, a company sanctioned by the US Treasury Department for transporting weapons to Iran's Revolutionary Guards. The airport's runway, VOR (ground-based navigation aid) and nearby warehouses were hit by Israeli aircraft.
The same report states that the airport has been repaired and is "likely to be back in service", suggesting that the Syrian regime may want to ensure that Iran continues to transport weapons through Syria.
Meanwhile, the UK-based Asharq al-Awsat reported that Russia has called on Iran to withdraw from areas in central and western Syria. Israel interprets this as a diversion. The Russian-Syrian cooperation is supposedly narrowing Iran's playing field in Syria. In fact, there have been reports in the past that Russia was unhappy with Iran's buildup in Syria. There were also reports that the Syrian regime was worried about Iran attacking US forces in places like Tanf. The reason for the regime's concern is that it could lead to airstrikes that could endanger members of the regime in Syria. In any case, for Israel, Iran, Russia and the Syrian regime are seen as allies.
Israel claims that Iranian military and registry aircraft are carrying weapons systems for Hezbollah. Iranian airlines suspected of smuggling weapons and equipment to Iranian-backed militias in Syria and Lebanon use Damascus and Aleppo airports. Israel aims to prevent Iran from establishing itself in the country and Hezbollah from obtaining weapons from the Islamic Republic, for which it continues to strike Syrian airports.
Conclusion
As I wrote at the beginning, Turkey needs to return to Israel-like quiet hard power policies. The conditions are no longer favorable to conduct operations with drums and zurna. Such rhetoric serves to foster a perception that Turkey is wrong when it is right. Let's not come suddenly one night. If we are going to come, let's come smartly every night and strike quietly and deeply.
Let's end this article with the motto once used by the Pars fleet, which is equipped with the capabilities to do these things silently and deeply:
Pars fly low in the depths of every night,
The crimson flag that proudly ripples in this glorious twilight, shall never fade.
