ISTANBUL: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday affirmed that Iran has a "legitimate" right to defend itself amid Israel’s ongoing bombing campaign, now entering its sixth day. Erdogan described Iran’s response as a natural and lawful act against what he called Israel’s “thuggery and state terrorism.”
He criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, previously labeling him as the greatest regional security threat. Erdogan pointed out that the Israeli attacks occurred during sensitive Iranian nuclear negotiations, accusing Israel of launching aggressive strikes without regard for international norms.
According to Iran, the Israeli bombings have killed at least 224 people, targeting key nuclear and military sites. Iranian retaliatory fire has resulted in at least 24 deaths in Israel, with many more injured, as confirmed by Netanyahu’s office.
Erdogan stated that Turkey is monitoring Israel’s actions closely and that all Turkish institutions remain vigilant about potential impacts on the country. He emphasized that Turkey is preparing for any possible scenarios and warned that no one should challenge Turkey’s resolve.
Earlier this week, Erdogan ordered an increase in the production of medium and long-range missiles by Turkey’s defense industry to boost deterrence amid the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran.
