Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday strongly criticized Israel’s recent military operations in Syria, asserting that Türkiye would not tolerate any attempts to divide its neighboring country.

Speaking to reporters after a cabinet meeting in Ankara, Erdogan reaffirmed Türkiye’s longstanding stance against the fragmentation of Syria, emphasizing that regional stability hinges on Syria’s unity.

"The biggest problem in the region right now is Israel’s aggression," Erdogan said, accusing Israel of exploiting recent clashes involving Druze groups in southern Syria to escalate its military presence in the area. He condemned Israel’s actions over the past two days as "banditry" expanding into Syrian territory.

"A stable Syria will bring stability to all neighboring countries. Otherwise, the burden of instability will be shared by everyone," Erdogan warned.

Türkiye, a key backer of the Syrian interim government, has maintained a significant military presence in northern Syria since 2016 through cross-border operations targeting the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG).

In a joint statement issued by Lebanon’s Foreign Ministry, the foreign ministers of Jordan, the UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Iraq, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Lebanon, and Egypt reiterated their support for Syria’s security, territorial integrity, and sovereignty.

The ministers welcomed a recent agreement aimed at resolving the crisis in Syria’s southern Sweida province, expressing support for all efforts to restore peace and stability across the country.

They also strongly condemned repeated Israeli attacks on Syrian soil, calling them "blatant violations of international law and a grave breach of Syria’s sovereignty."

Highlighting Syria’s crucial role in regional security, the ministers urged the international community to assist Syria’s interim government in reconstruction efforts. They demanded a complete Israeli withdrawal from occupied Syrian territories and an immediate halt to hostile actions.

Tensions in Sweida flared on Sunday after armed Bedouin tribesmen allegedly assaulted and robbed a young Druze man near al-Masmiyah along the Damascus-Sweida highway. The incident triggered retaliatory kidnappings, escalating into clashes between Druze fighters, Syrian government forces, and Bedouin militias.

On Monday and Wednesday, Israel launched airstrikes on Damascus and Sweida, claiming its actions were meant to "protect the Druze minority." The attacks drew widespread international condemnation.