Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has issued a stern warning to Israel amid rising tensions in the region. “Just as we entered Karabakh and Libya, we will do the same to Israel,” Erdogan declared during a party meeting, referencing Turkey’s military involvements in Nagorno-Karabakh and Libya.
The threat comes during a dramatic escalation in the nine-month cross-border conflict between the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Hezbollah. The situation intensified after a Hezbollah-launched Iranian rocket struck the Druze village of Majdal Sham in the Golan Heights on Saturday, resulting in the deaths of 12 children.
Erdogan’s statements arrive as the international community is actively seeking to prevent a larger-scale war between Israel and Lebanon, or even a broader regional conflict. While Turkey is a NATO member and thus restricted in its capacity for unilateral military intervention, Erdogan’s rhetoric has nonetheless heightened anxieties.
Tensions between Ankara and Jerusalem have been particularly strained following the Hamas-led invasion of southern Israel on October 7. Turkey, which maintains strong alliances with Palestinian groups, has consistently positioned itself as a vocal supporter of Palestinian causes.
As the conflict between the IDF and Hezbollah continues to escalate, Erdogan’s threats underscore the precarious state of Middle Eastern geopolitics.