Turkey firmly rejected on Wednesday what it called “untenable allegations” by Israel regarding its military position in Syria, after Israel bombed a Syrian air base near the Turkish border and said Syria ​was on the verge of permitting Turkish troops to deploy there.

Israel carried out airstrikes against ‌the Abu al-Duhur base near Aleppo on Tuesday, drawing condemnation from Turkey and criticism from a U.S. envoy who called the attack an “unnecessary escalation”.

In a statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said late on Tuesday that ​Syria was on the verge of violating a “status quo agreed with Israel in security matters” ​by allowing Turkish troops to deploy at the airbase, adding that such a ⁠deployment would threaten Israel’s security and it would not tolerate this, Reuters reported.

In response, Turkey’s presidency said the “imputations” ​from Netanyahu’s office stemmed from his intention to pursue “expansionist and destabilising policies” ahead of elections in ​Israel, adding that lasting regional peace could only be achieved if Israel respected international law and abandoned its “aggressive and coercive policies”.

“The untenable allegations put forward by the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office are intended to legitimise Israel’s unlawful airstrikes ​targeting Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” it said on X, without explicitly referring to any potential deployment ​plans.

“Turkey will resolutely continue to cooperate with the Syrian Government on a legitimate basis for the establishment of ‌peace, stability, ⁠and prosperity in Syria, and will never allow the destabilisation of Syria.”

The strikes on Tuesday follow worsening security tensions between Israel and Turkey and increasingly sharp rhetoric between the two countries over Syria, where both countries’ militaries are active.

Turkey, which has NATO’s second-largest army and has emerged as one ​of Syrian President Ahmed ​al-Sharaa’s main allies, accuses ⁠Israel of trying to destabilise Syria and undermine its new administration, repeatedly calling for international pressure and measures on Israel to respect Syria’s territorial integrity.

Ankara ​has been training Syria’s army, helping it rebuild its state institutions and ​infrastructure, and ⁠providing military and diplomatic support.

Last year, Turkey and Israel — also sharply at odds over the war in Gaza — established a line of communication to avoid any incidents in Syria.

Tom Barrack, the U.S. special presidential ⁠envoy for ​Syria and Iraq, told Reuters after the strikes on Tuesday ​that Washington was working to establish a deconfliction mechanism among Israel, Turkey and Syria, and added the U.S. already facilitates an ​information-sharing and dialogue mechanism among the parties.

At least nine people, including a child, were killed in a fire at a hotel in Kolkata in eastern India early Wednesday, police said.

The fire broke out at around 2:50 a.m. local time on the second floor of the hotel and was brought under control within an hour, according to a senior police officer.

About 30 people were safely evacuated from the building. Police said the blaze may have been caused by an electrical short circuit, although the exact cause has not yet been established.

Local media reported that at least six people were injured and were receiving treatment in hospitals.

Indian news agency ANI reported, citing the fire department, that some of those killed were Bangladeshi citizens who had travelled to Kolkata for medical treatment. NDTV reported that all nine victims were Bangladeshis.

However, a senior police official told Reuters that the nationalities of those killed had not yet been confirmed.

The hotel is located in a congested area of central Kolkata and offers budget accommodation and restaurants.

Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire.

Pakistan’s Supreme Court has ordered authorities to transfer jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan from Adiala Jail to a hospital in Islamabad amid concerns over his health.

The court directed that Khan, 73, be moved to Shifa International Hospital within 48 hours and remain there until at least September 16, when the case is scheduled to be reviewed. The transfer is to take place under tight security.

The order followed petitions from Khan’s family, lawyers and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), who have repeatedly raised concerns about his deteriorating health and access to medical care.

A three-member Supreme Court bench also ordered the formation of a medical board to assess and treat Khan. His sister, Dr Uzma Khan, and his personal physician have been permitted to be present during his medical assessment and treatment, with his family expected to cover the costs.

Khan’s lawyers have previously said he suffered significant loss of vision in his right eye while in prison. He also received treatment for an eye condition earlier this year.

PTI spokesperson Zulfikar Bukhari welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision but said the transfer should have happened earlier, arguing that Khan’s health had already deteriorated significantly.

The court has also directed authorities to ensure security and maintain law and order around the hospital during Khan’s stay. His medical records have been ordered to remain protected from political use.

Khan has been imprisoned since August 2023 after being convicted in several cases. He and his party maintain that the cases are politically motivated, while several of his convictions have been suspended or overturned and other appeals remain pending.

Khan served as Pakistan’s prime minister from 2018 until he was removed from office through a no-confidence vote in April 2022.