Israel Turns “Kill First” Doctrine on Turkey as 3-State “Sunni Axis” Alarm Grows
Updated
Updated · Middle East Eye · Jul 1
Israel Turns “Kill First” Doctrine on Turkey as 3-State “Sunni Axis” Alarm Grows
1 articles · Updated · Middle East Eye · Jul 1
Summary
Israeli leaders have shifted their main strategic focus toward Turkey, casting Ankara, Syria and Qatar as a new three-state “Sunni axis” after the Iran war blunted Israel’s regional plans.
That turn is being framed as more than rhetoric: Israeli officials across parties have called Turkey the “new Iran,” while Israel has expanded pressure points in Syria, Lebanon and the Eastern Mediterranean to check Ankara’s reach.
The latest flashpoint sits alongside a US-backed Lebanon framework that critics say lets Israeli forces stay in parts of the south indefinitely and forces Beirut to confront Hezbollah, fueling warnings of civil strife.
Washington is split over the regional approach—Donald Trump and JD Vance have signaled resistance to endless escalation, while Marco Rubio is portrayed as backing Hezbollah’s disarmament and continued Israeli dominance.
Turkey has responded cautiously but is now accelerating deterrence, from a 60,000-tonne aircraft carrier to 30 other warships, even as analysts say its air defenses need 3 to 5 years to match Israel.