Erdogan: Israeli strikes in Lebanon and Syria have reached the point of threatening Turkey as well

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned against harm to Turkish rights in the Mediterranean and said, "Our response will be strong and clear." Erdogan added, "Israel's aggression poses a threat to the whole world." Netanyahu responded, "The last person who can preach morality."

N12 Published: 10.06.26, 13:16 | Updated: 10.06.26, 14:39 "Israel's aggression poses a threat to the whole world" | Photo: AP

In brief Erdogan said the strikes in Syria and Lebanon threaten Turkey's security. "Israel's aggression poses a threat to the whole world," he added. The Turkish president warned against harming Turkish rights in the Mediterranean. The Turkish interior minister also said he hopes for Jerusalem's return to Turkish rule in the future. Erdogan called on Israel not to "chase adventures" in the Mediterranean region.

Turkish President Erdogan sharply attacked Israel's actions in the region today and warned of their consequences for his country's security. In his remarks, the Turkish president referred to tensions in the eastern Mediterranean and fighting on various fronts. "We are seeing mischievous initiatives led by Israel in the Mediterranean too," Erdogan said. "No one should chase adventures in this area." He added that Israel's strikes in Syria and Lebanon had reached a point where they directly threaten Turkey as well. Erdogan made clear that Turkey would not tolerate harm to its political interests. "Our response will be clear and strong if the rights of Turks and Turkish Cypriots are violated in the eastern Mediterranean," he declared.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded and attacked Erdogan: "The anti-Semitic tyrant who is committing genocide against the Kurds, supports the Hamas terror organization, and oppresses his own people, is the last person who can preach morality to the State of Israel." Netanyahu added: "The State of Israel and the IDF, the most moral army in the world, will continue to act with strength against Iran and its proxies, which threaten the Middle East and the whole world."

The remarks came following other harsh statements made on Saturday by senior figures in the Turkish government. Turkey's interior minister, Mustafa Ciftci, declared last Saturday that he hopes for Jerusalem's return to Turkish rule. "These lands will be ours again," Minister Ciftci said. He noted that he believes the city will return in the future to his country's control, and compared the move to what he described as the "liberation" of other cities in the region, including Damascus, Aleppo, and Karabakh.

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