Russian general warns Israel’s overreach could end its statehood

Sernur Yassıkaya / Chief Foreign News Editor of Yeni Şafak

Moscow has issued an unusually stark warning to Tel Aviv, with a top Russian general declaring that Israel’s aggressive posture across the Middle East could ultimately render it unsustainable as a sovereign state. Lieutenant General Apti Alaudinov, deputy head of the Russian army’s Main Military-Political Directorate and commander of the Akhmat special forces unit, made the remarks to Russia’s TASS news agency. His intervention follows an Israeli airstrike on the Abu Zuhur military airbase in Syria’s Idlib province, a location situated perilously close to Türkiye’s southern frontier, raising fresh alarm in Ankara over spillover effects from the widening conflict.

Russia accuses Israel of seeking NATO entanglement

General Alaudinov argued that Israel is deliberately pursuing escalation, aiming to broaden the current confrontation into a multi-front war. “We must understand that the war in the Middle East will only intensify,” the Russian commander stated. “I believe Israel’s goal is exactly that: to expand the conflict as much as possible and drag both the United States and the entire NATO bloc into it.” He further warned that Israel’s miscalculation of its own military capacity would prove fatal, adding that “in the end, it will overestimate its power and will become unable to survive as a state.” His comments echo growing Russian unease over uncoordinated strikes threatening Moscow’s Syrian allies and destabilising the fragile de-escalation zones near Türkiye.

Israeli provocations target NATO allies

Recent diplomatic and military moves by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government have increasingly singled out NATO member states. Over the past 20 days alone, Israeli officials have launched provocative statements and actions against Spain, the United Kingdom and Türkiye. Madrid faced pressure over the enclave of Ceuta in North Africa, stoking a Schengen dispute with other EU members. London was targeted with rhetoric likening the Labour government to an “Islamic Republic” over its support for Palestine. Most critically for Ankara, Israel attempted to justify its strike on Syria’s Abu Zuhur airbase by alleging Turkish links to the facility – a claim swiftly denied by the US administration. Israeli policymakers have also been accused of fostering friction between Greece and Türkiye to weaken NATO’s southeastern flank.

Israeli analysts warn against Turkish confrontation

Meanwhile, Israeli media and military experts have acknowledged the strategic risks of engaging Türkiye directly. Maariv quoted former National Security Council head Meir Ben-Shabbat, who noted that Türkiye has capitalised on regional turmoil to expand its influence and consolidate its position as a leading regional power. INSS analyst Dani Citrinovich stressed that “Türkiye is not Iran,” underscoring Ankara’s distinct status as a NATO member with a formidable military. Former Israeli naval commander Eliezer Marom echoed that sentiment, pointing to Türkiye’s alliance commitments as a significant deterrent. An unnamed Israeli military official told Channel 13 that “the last thing we need is an open war with the Turkish army,” reflecting deep concern within Tel Aviv’s defence establishment over the prospect of a direct clash.