Israel and Türkiye establish military hotline after talks in Azerbaijan

Israel and Türkiye have agreed to establish a military hotline aimed at preventing any accidental clashes between their forces in Syria, following over a month of behind-the-scenes negotiations mediated by Azerbaijan.

The deal was finalized on Wednesday, according to Israel Hayom, and comes after quiet diplomatic efforts confirmed earlier by the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office. The hotline will serve as a direct line of communication between the two militaries, helping to coordinate movements and avoid miscalculations in a complex battlefield.

Israeli forces are active in southern Syria, while Turkish troops operate in the north. Sources familiar with the talks told Middle East Eye that the main challenge was not the presence of Turkish forces, but the placement of Turkish air defense systems and radar — particularly near the so-called Palmyra line, where Türkiye has shown interest in gaining control over several airbases.

One official involved in the negotiations said the understanding aims to ease tensions and build trust, especially given the history of regional incidents involving overlapping operations. A similar deconfliction mechanism was established between Israel and Russia in 2015, when both countries operated in Syrian airspace under very different objectives.

The hotline with Türkiye marks a new chapter in regional coordination efforts, showing a cautious but strategic alignment on shared security concerns.

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