The US reportedly informed Turkey that Israel was set to attack Iran a few hours before the first missile struck in the early hours of June 13.

That’s the information from unnamed Turkish sources provided to Middle East Eye that was published on June 16. Other US allies in the region were given a similar advance warning of imminent hostilities, including Qatar, according to Reuters.

Turkey’s Erdogan administration makes a big play of being against the Israeli military action and full-square behind Iran’s right to defend itself. Is it just words for public consumption? What is really being said behind the scenes? Make your own mind up.

Turkish daily Hurriyet also reported, on June 17, that Turkey was notified of the impending Israeli attack and that the country’s foreign minister Hakan Fidan was in contact with US counterpart Marco Rubio.

Israeli jets use Turkish airspace

This week has also brought reports that some of Israel’s fighter jets involved in bombing Iran “violated” Turkey’s airspace during operations. Hurriyet quoted sources as saying the “violations” were “not intentional”.

Turkey has not made a fuss over the stray jets. The aircraft in question were “warned on the radio” and they eventually “left Turkey’s airspace”, according to the daily.

Israeli pilots use Syrian and Iraqi air corridors as standard flight paths to Iran

To target Iran, Israel, paying no heed to any protests from either Damascus or Baghdad, sends its jets through Syrian and Iraqi airspace. Since the Turkey-backed jihadist militants Hayat Tahrir Al-sham (HTS) took control of Damascus in December, Israel has wiped out every air defence system in Syria.

The HTS, referred to as “Damascus” or “the Syrian government”, since forces led by it drove out Bashar al-Assad six months ago, has absolutely no control over Syria’s airspace.

Slap in face for Turkey

In May, Middle East Eye quoted unnamed officials at the Turkish defence ministry as saying that Israel and Turkey had set up a round-the-clock direct line to avoid any undesired military engagements and “misunderstandings” in Syria.

It appears that not long before this development, Turkey attempted to hook up radar facilities in Syria, but Israel bombed them. Donald Trump intervened to avoid further conflict.

Iraq complains to Security Council

The Iraqi government, which has some ties with the ruling Shia regime in Iran, has filed a complaint with the UN Security Council over Israel’s use of its airspace.

Trump posts latest from battlefront

On June 17, Trump wrote on social media that Israel had established complete control of Iran’s airspace. This came as a surprise to those observers who insist on taking politicians and mainstream media ever so seriously because the war is supposedly Israel’s, not America’s.

Disinformation booms

As the duration of the war lengthens, disinformation activities (Turkey-Greece tensions, Erdogan-Netanyahu tensions and so on) carried out by governments are expanding. Some commentaries suggest that some key outcomes of the war will be in Turkey’s favour.

If we keep in mind the difference between the country, Turkey, and those who rule it, the Erdogan regime, such commentary can be taken as correct. But past experience suggests that while the regime profits from wars, ordinary Turks suffer the costs.