Israel stepped up airstrikes on Syria, declaring the attacks a warning to the new Islamist rulers in Damascus as it accused their ally Turkey on Thursday of trying to turn the country into a Turkish protectorate.

The Syrian government has condemned Israel's "impunity" as Israel stepped up air strikes on Syria, with jets hitting military targets, including an airport. Wednesday's attacks, which included ground incursions, killed 13 people, with Israel claiming it was responding to fire from gunmen during an operation in the south.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s unprecedented statement on March 30, openly calling for Allah to bring “destruction upon Zionist Israel,” underscores that a direct military clash is inevitable.