Jerusalem confirmed on Thursday that Israeli and Turkish officials met the previous night in Azerbaijan. The talks focused on regional security and avoiding military friction in Syria.
The meeting was held under the direction of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and hosted by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.
Jerusalem warned that Turkish military deployment in the Palmyra (Tadmor) region would cross a “red line,” according to Channel 12 News, which cited a senior Israeli official. Any change in foreign force deployment—particularly by Turkey—would be viewed as a breach and could destabilize Syria under President Ahmed al-Sharaa, the official added.
The meeting was led by Israeli National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi and included senior representatives from the Defense Ministry and other security branches. According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, each side presented its regional interests and agreed to continue dialogue to maintain security stability. Israel thanked Azerbaijan and Aliyev for facilitating the talks.
The talks come amid growing Israeli concern over reported Turkish plans to establish a strategic foothold in central Syria following the fall of the Assad regime in December. The sides are said to be working toward a military coordination mechanism similar to the deconfliction system Israel previously maintained with Russia.
Turkish forces are not currently deployed in the area; Israel is taking steps to block such a move. Recent Israeli airstrikes targeted key infrastructure at strategic bases in Syria, reportedly to prevent Turkish control.
Turkish sources also confirmed the meeting and said efforts were underway to build communication channels to avoid misunderstandings.
According to Arabic-language media, citing Western diplomatic sources, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told aides that Israel has a limited window to act before possible Turkish deployment. He raised the issue in a recent meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, who reportedly offered to help mediate, citing his close ties with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
