Israel stepped up airstrikes on Syria overnight, 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.

Syria has strongly condemned a fresh wave of Israeli strikes on airbases and other military sites overnight as an "unjustified escalation".The foreign ministry said the attacks almost destroyed Hama airbase and injured dozens of people.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar on Thursday accused Turkey of playing a “negative role” in multiple regional countries and adopting an 'aggressive attitude' toward the Kurdish administration in northeastern Syria (Rojava).