Turkish and Israeli officials held first technical talks aimed at preventing unwanted incidents in Syria, where militaries of the two regional powers are active, Turkish ministry sources and an Israeli political source said on Thursday.
The Turkish sources said the technical talks on Wednesday, in Azerbaijan, marked the beginning of efforts to set up a channel to avoid potential clashes or misunderstandings over military operations in the region.
"Efforts will continue to establish this mechanism," one of the Turkish sources said, without providing further details on the scope or timeline of the talks.
An Israeli political source confirmed the meeting took place and said that "Israel made it unequivocally clear that any change in the deployment of foreign forces in Syria – and in particular the establishment of Turkish bases in the Palmyra area – is a red line and will be considered a breaking of the rules."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office confirmed in statement that an Israeli delegation led by National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi had held talks with Turkish officials in Azerbaijan on Wednesday.
The statement did not give details about the talks.
The initiative comes a week after Israel stepped up airstrikes on Syria, which it described as a warning to the newly formed government in Damascus. It has also accused Türkiye of attempting to turn Syria into a Turkish protectorate.
Reuters reported last week that Turkish military teams had inspected at least three air bases in Syria where they could deploy forces as part of a planned joint defence pact with Damascus - before Israel hit the sites with airstrikes.
Türkiye and Israel - which have traded diplomatic barbs since Israel's attacks began on Gaza in 2023 - each said last week they did not seek confrontation in Syria, which both border.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan confirmed on Wednesday that technical talks were taking place, emphasizing that such mechanisms were necessary to prevent misunderstandings between the two regional powers' forces.
Türkiye supports NATO's new 5% defence spending target and says it has already surpassed the previous 2% benchmark, according to a Turkish defense ministry source.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met his Romanian counterpart Nicusor Dan on the sidelines of the NATO summit in The Hague, reaffirming a commitment to deepen bilateral ties and enhance Black Sea security.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz praised Türkiye’s diplomatic efforts to mediate between Russia and Ukraine, calling for greater international pressure to push Moscow toward peace negotiations.
NATO has confirmed that its 2026 summit will be hosted by Türkiye, with Albania set to host the following summit in 2027, according to the final declaration from the summit in The Hague.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on the sidelines of the NATO summit in The Hague to discuss key regional and global issues.
Scientists in Australia and the U.S. have developed an AI tool that could transform cancer care by revealing the hidden diversity of tumour cells and guiding more targeted therapies.
Germany has urged Iran to resume cooperation with the United Nations nuclear watchdog amid concerns over rising tensions with Israel, warning that Tehran’s recent moves send the “wrong signal” and risk derailing a fragile ceasefire.
Singapore has launched its largest-ever study on paediatric food allergies, aiming to better understand and address the growing burden of allergic reactions among children.
Turkmen and Russian foreign ministers met in Ashgabat on 25 June and signed a bilateral cooperation program for 2025–2026, reaffirming their commitment to strengthening political and economic ties.
Türkiye supports NATO's new 5% defence spending target and says it has already surpassed the previous 2% benchmark, according to a Turkish defense ministry source.
Iran launched 18 ballistic missiles late Sunday targeting the U.S. military’s Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the largest American installation in the Middle East.
Iranian missiles struck multiple locations across Israel and neighbouring regions early Friday morning, including a Microsoft office complex, according to emergency responders and local media reports.
A high-speed tram derailment in central Gothenburg, Sweden, has left at least eight people injured late on Thursday (19 June), after the vehicle slammed into a snack bar on Avenyn Avenue.
Wizz Air has suspended all flights to and from Tel Aviv, Israel, and its European services to Amman, Jordan, effective immediately until 15 September due to escalating situation in the Middle East. Also, the air carrier temporarily suspended its flights between Astana, Kazakhstan, and Abu Dhabi.
China has unveiled a mosquito-sized bionic drone designed for covert military operations and battlefield reconnaissance, marking a major advance in micro-robotics and stealth technology as part of the country’s growing focus on next-generation warfare capabilities.
Turkmen and Russian foreign ministers met in Ashgabat on 25 June and signed a bilateral cooperation program for 2025–2026, reaffirming their commitment to strengthening political and economic ties.
Kazakhstan's e-commerce sector has soared to 3.2 trillion tenge (around 6.2 billion U.S. dollars) in 2024, marking a sevenfold increase since 2020, according to Deputy Prime Minister Serik Jumanğarin.
Russia has expressed its readiness to support the signing of a peace treaty between Azerbaijan and Armenia to ensure regional stability and security.
Masked law enforcement officers have detained Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, leader of the 'Sacred Struggle' movement in Armenia. He is accused of preparing terrorist attacks and an alleged attempt to seize power, according to the Investigative Committee.
Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov has announced a major reform initiative aimed at strengthening national sovereignty in the country’s space sector.
Scientists in Australia and the U.S. have developed an AI tool that could transform cancer care by revealing the hidden diversity of tumour cells and guiding more targeted therapies.
Germany has urged Iran to resume cooperation with the United Nations nuclear watchdog amid concerns over rising tensions with Israel, warning that Tehran’s recent moves send the “wrong signal” and risk derailing a fragile ceasefire.
Singapore has launched its largest-ever study on paediatric food allergies, aiming to better understand and address the growing burden of allergic reactions among children.
Turkmen and Russian foreign ministers met in Ashgabat on 25 June and signed a bilateral cooperation program for 2025–2026, reaffirming their commitment to strengthening political and economic ties.
Türkiye supports NATO's new 5% defence spending target and says it has already surpassed the previous 2% benchmark, according to a Turkish defense ministry source.
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