Tensions between Israel and Turkey center on competing influence in post-Assad Syria, where Ankara has expanded its military footprint and Jerusalem views potential Turkish bases or air defenses as threats to its security. The most recent flashpoint occurred in August 2026 when Israeli forces struck the Abu al-Duhur airbase, citing imminent Turkish troop deployment—a claim Ankara and Damascus rejected. This triggered sharp mutual warnings and rhetoric, including arrest warrant efforts and personal attacks between leaders, alongside Turkish troop movements deeper into Syria that drew no direct Israeli military response. US officials have facilitated deconfliction channels and urged restraint, while both governments have signaled they do not seek open confrontation. Diplomatic contacts persist despite frozen formal ties and the shuttered Israeli embassy, and analysts highlight mutual caution plus American mediation as factors keeping rivalry contained short of direct clashes through the end of 2026.