Turkey steps up air patrols after Israeli strikes in Doha
Turkey steps up air patrols after Israeli strikes in Doha
Turkish military jets took off from airbases in Diyarbakir and Malatya on Tuesday following Israeli strikes in Doha that targeted Hamas leaders, Middle East Eye understands.
Eyewitnesses in Diyarbakir reported seeing several jets in the air that afternoon, near one of Turkey’s main airbases.
Sources familiar with the matter told MEE that the Turkish Air Force scrambled additional jets overnight and increased the intensity of its air patrols over Turkish airspace.
“There has been no announcement of an alert, but routine patrols have been stepped up in areas near Syrian and Iraqi airspace,” a source said.
Experts believe the Israeli Air Force may have crossed Syrian and Iraqi airspace, flying near the Saudi border before reaching Doha with the support of aerial refuelling tankers.
Turkey took similar measures during the Iran–Israel conflict in June, after radar detected Israeli military activity in the region.
Gursel Tokmakoglu, a former chief of the Turkish Air Force Intelligence Department, told MEE that intensifying air patrols is a standard precaution for the Turkish military in response to such regional developments.
“The Air Force may have also deployed Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) planes to gain a clearer view of neighbouring airspaces,” Tokmakoglu said, noting that the military would not issue a nationwide alert since no specific threat has been directed at Turkey.
Hamas hosted in Turkey
Israeli strikes in Doha against Hamas leaders have also fuelled speculation on social media that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government could target Hamas figures in Istanbul.
Hamas established an office in Turkey in 2011, as part of negotiations that secured the release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. Turkey currently hosts around 40 Hamas members under that arrangement.
Tokmakoglu stressed that Turkey would not act on speculation regarding its security.
“These kinds of theories circulate without any real foundation. The Turkish military will not take reactionary steps in response to chatter. Its planning, defence concepts, and capabilities are established independently and are not swayed by manipulative statements on social media,” he said.
Meanwhile, Israeli media suggested that Israel had been tracking Hamas leaders for some time, waiting until many relocated from Turkey to Doha before carrying out the strike.
A recent report by news outlet Ynet claimed that Turkey allows Hamas leaders to remain in the country for a maximum of three months per visit.
Turkish officials have consistently maintained that Ankara only hosts Hamas’s political leadership and does not provide the group with military support.
Tensions between Turkey and Israel have escalated in recent months. Turkey ended trade with Israel last year, and last month called on states to suspend Israel’s membership to the UN General Assembly over its genocide in Gaza.
Turkey recently imposed additional restrictions on Israeli-owned and affiliated vessels, barring them from docking at Turkish ports.
These shipping measures follow Ankara’s announcement last month of six sanctions against Israel, in line with The Hague Group’s joint statement from the Emergency Conference on Palestine in Bogota.
Last year, Turkey joined South Africa’s case at the International Court of Justice accusing Israel of genocide.
Since then, Ankara has increasingly used international platforms to build an alliance against Israel’s genocide in Gaza.
