Türkiye-Israel Tensions Escalate
Erdoğan warns Israel's regional strikes threaten Türkiye as Netanyahu retaliates amid military tensions
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Key Points
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Erdogan accused Israel of a “sneaky effort” to destabilize Africa as well as the Mediterranean, saying it sought to “ignite the fire of discord” on Cyprus and described smaller actors as “Zionist subcontractors” pursuing “pipe dreams in the Eastern Mediterranean.”
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Erdogan urged world powers to take a clearer stance against Israel, arguing it is emboldened by the “silence of [the] international community,” and said: “Pulling Israel back to within the bounds of the rule of law has become a shared duty… for all of humanity.”
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A referenced December report said Israel, Greece and Cyprus were examining a joint eastern Mediterranean force including about 2,500 troops, ships, fighter jets, and infrastructure—deployable on Greece’s Karpathos and Rhodes, and in Greece/Cyprus/Israel—stating Athens would send ~1,000 troops, Jerusalem ~1,000, Nicosia ~500, and that Israel and Greece would each provide one air force squadron.
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected Erdogan’s criticism, calling him “the last person who could deliver moral lectures to the State of Israel,” and accused Erdogan of “supporting Hamas,” “oppressing his own people,” and “jailing political rivals.”
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan warned on June 10 that Israeli strikes in Syria and Lebanon have grown so severe they now directly threaten Türkiye. "The attacks by Netanyahu and his network of murder in Lebanon and Syria have brought the issue to a point where it also threatens Türkiye," he told AK Party lawmakers in parliament, according to Reuters. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fired back the same evening, calling Erdoğan an "antisemitic dictator" who "supports Hamas" and "jails political rivals," Israel National News reported.
The clash marks a sharp new low in Turkey-Israel relations, which have been deteriorating since Türkiye halted all trade with Israel in May 2024. Now Erdoğan is warning of a "clear and strong" response to any move that threatens Turkish or Turkish Cypriot rights in the Eastern Mediterranean, Hurriyet Daily News reported.
Erdoğan Ties Syrian Battlefields to Turkish Borders
Erdoğan told lawmakers that Türkiye's security is directly tied to Aleppo, Damascus, and Beirut. He framed Israeli strikes in Syria and Lebanon not as distant conflicts, but as a creeping threat moving toward Turkey's own borders. He accused Israel of a "sneaky effort" to destabilize the broader region and said it was trying to "ignite the fire of discord" on Cyprus, according to The Jerusalem Post.
He also warned against Israel's "adventures" in the eastern Mediterranean. He said any violation of Turkish or Turkish Cypriot rights would trigger a response. Erdoğan urged world powers to act, arguing Israel is emboldened by the "silence of the international community." He said: "Pulling Israel back within the bounds of the rule of law has become a shared duty for all of humanity," Middle East Online reported.
Reported Israel-Greece-Cyprus Force Alarms Ankara
Much of Erdoğan's anger centers on a reported military alliance. In December 2025, Greek daily Ta Nea reported that Israel, Greece, and Cyprus were building a joint rapid-response force of about 2,500 troops. The plan called for roughly 1,000 troops from Israel, 1,000 from Greece, and 500 from Cyprus, plus one air force squadron each from Israel and Greece, deployable to Greek islands including Rhodes and Karpathos, Times of Israel reported.
Rhodes sits just 11 miles from the Turkish mainland. Karpathos is about 30 miles from Turkish waters. For Ankara, stationing Israeli jets that close is a direct challenge to the status quo. Erdoğan called Greece and Cyprus "Zionist subcontractors" chasing "pipe dreams in the Eastern Mediterranean." Cyprus's defense minister denied a formal standing force exists, calling the reports "false and premature," according to Clash Report.
Netanyahu Pushes Back Hard on "Moral Lectures"
Netanyahu did not hold back in his response. He called Erdoğan "the last person who could deliver moral lectures to the State of Israel." He accused the Turkish leader of "carrying out genocide against the Kurds," supporting Hamas, and jailing political rivals, The Media Line reported. Netanyahu has previously called Erdoğan an antisemite, and the two leaders have traded insults repeatedly since the Gaza war began in October 2023.
Israeli analysts see the trilateral cooperation with Greece and Cyprus as purely defensive. Israeli sources frame it as a "policy of containment" to counter Türkiye's growing drone and missile capabilities, not an offensive move, according to INSS. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump called Erdoğan a "good friend" in late December 2025, complicating the picture for the Israel-Greece-Cyprus alliance, Politis reported.
Trade Ban Stands, but Loopholes Leak Billions
Türkiye officially cut all trade with Israel in May 2024. But the ban has not held completely. Data from the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics showed Turkish exports to Israel reached $176 million in just January and February 2026, routed through third-party countries or labeled as destined for Palestine, Nordic Monitor reported.
If Erdoğan tightens enforcement, the economic hit could be real. Israel's construction and food sectors rely on Turkish cement and staples. Analysts at Capital Economics estimate a full enforcement of the ban could cause a 5–10% inflationary spike in those sectors. For now, the "Palestine loophole" remains open — but Erdoğan's latest warnings suggest patience with it may be running out.
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