Israel warns Türkiye over Syria

Defense Minister Katz spoke out after an IDF strike on a Syrian airbase allegedly being prepared for Turkish forces

Israel has warned Türkiye against expanding Ankara’s military involvement in Syria, days after striking a Syrian airbase it claimed was being prepared for Turkish forces.

West Jerusalem attacked the Abu al-Duhur airbase in northwestern Syria on Tuesday, damaging the facility but causing no reported casualties.

“[Turkish President Recep Tayyip] Erdogan is dragging Turkey into dangerous adventures in Syria,” Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz wrote on X on Thursday.

Katz went on to accuse Erdogan of making “empty and delusional” anti-Israel speeches and warned him against testing the country’s determination to defend itself.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Damascus was about to violate a security “status quo” by allowing Turkish troops to deploy there. Syria and Türkiye denied any such deployment was planned.

The rivalry between Israel and Türkiye has increasingly spilled into Syria, where Ankara has emerged as a key backer of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and is helping train and rebuild the country’s armed forces. Israel has opposed a Turkish military foothold, arguing it could threaten its security and restrict its freedom to operate in Syria.

Middle East Eye reported this week, citing Turkish government insiders, that Ankara views the Abu al-Duhur strike as a challenge to its credibility as a regional security partner. It came less than two weeks after Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement, under which an attack on one is considered an attack on all three, potentially raising the stakes of any direct military confrontation involving Türkiye.

According to MEE, Israel also did not use its military hotline with Türkiye before the strike, raising the risk of an unintended confrontation.

US Ambassador to Türkiye and Syria envoy Tom Barrack called the attack an “unnecessary escalation” and urged the sides to avoid further military incidents.

https://www.rt.com/news/644486-israel-warns-turkiye-dangerous-adventures-syria/

China Firmly Rejects US Demand To Back Its 'Most Crushing Economic Operation' Against Iran

China has firmly rejected Washington's call to join in implementing US sanctions to "squash" Iran's economy, pushing back against Trump administration pressure to be part of the "toughest sanctions in history" which has marked a new phase of conflict focused on extended economic warfare, as a military solution is seen as increasingly unrealistic and unlikely.

"Regarding the Iran issue, sanctions and pressure do not help resolve the problem," Reuters quoted a representative of the Chinese Embassy in Washington as saying. The White House's new plan is to include heavy reliance on international pressure on external countries to impose extreme isolation on the Islamic Republic.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said the same to reporters Friday in a regular briefing. "China calls on all relevant parties to take responsible measures and resolve the problem through political and diplomatic means," he said.

Asked specifically about the latest comments of US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Lin emphasized the need for all parties to take "responsible measures" in resolving the war. "China opposes illegal unilateral sanctions that have no basis in international law and are not authorized by the UN Security Council," Lin said.

Bessent had on Thursday told CNBC: "It is a one-two punch. We have ​the blockade (on Iran), and we are going to have the toughest sanctions in history." He then vowed, "It is going to work in Iran and we are going to collapse this ⁠regime."

He further invoked some (infamous) words of President George W. Bush issued to allies in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. "You are either with us, or against us," Bessent said in the interview. "This is going to be the greatest coordinated economic isolation in the history of the world."

Such back-and-white rhetoric is very unlikely to sway the Chinese, given also that of course they know what happened next after that original proclamation by Bush - American forces got stuck in no less than two quagmires in the Middle East, Afghanistan and Iraq, in what came to be viewed cynically as 'forever wars'.

What's more as the blowback in Baghdad was pretty immediate, as a key unintended consequence of the US regime change war was the ascendancy of pro-Iran Shia politicians ruling Iraq. Beijing is all too aware of the US score card in the region, even as Washington decision-makers continue ignoring the glaring lessons of recent history.

Bessent seemed perplexed at the reaction in oil prices on Thursday, while he also said that discussions with Beijing would be best done in private:

"I think oil markets are misinterpreting what this economic pressure ​means," Bessent said on Thursday. Oil ​prices climbed to more ⁠than three-week highs on Thursday.

"We have asymmetric information, and I'm not sure why oil has popped up on this," Bessent said. "If we are doing the maximum economic ​pressure, then that means that likely there will not be a large-scale kinetic ​restart."

When asked ⁠if the U.S. could target China for doing business with Iran, Bessent said many conversations were best to have in private.

"We are confident that everyone wants the Strait (of Hormuz) reopened, and for energy prices to come back down," ⁠he continued. "Keep ​in mind that the Chinese get 50% (of their) energy from ​inside the Gulf. So it would do them a big service to get with the program."

Still, Bessent has been busy doubling-down on Trump's message shift this week (opting for an economic siege warfare 'solution' as after military strategy hasn't gone so well)…

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/china-firmly-rejects-us-demand-back-its-most-crushing-economic-operation-against-iran