Israel has taken its strategy of drowning the region, especially Gaza, in blood, tears and instability to a very dangerous stage,” President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Friday, condemning the attack on Iran.
“Israel's attacks on our neighbor Iran are a clear provocation that disregards international law,” he underlined, adding that these attacks, which come at a time when negotiations on Iran's nuclear program are intensifying and international pressure is increasing against inhumane actions targeting Gaza, demonstrate Israel's "rule-breaking mentality.”
“The Netanyahu administration is trying to drag our region and the entire world into disaster with its reckless, aggressive and lawless actions,” the president continued, indicating that the international community must put an end to Israeli banditry that targets global and regional stability.
“The attacks of Netanyahu and his massacre network, which are setting our entire region on fire, must be prevented.”
Saying that Ankara does not want to see more blood, destruction and conflict in the Middle East, Erdoğan said: “As Türkiye, we condemn the heinous attacks against our neighbor Iran.”
The Netanyahu government’s attack is unjustified and threatens to disrupt regional stability, Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz also said.
Yılmaz underlined that international organizations and countries must take a stronger stance against such acts threatening the region.
Similarly, the Foreign Ministry condemned the strikes "in the strongest terms" as "the attacks constitute a clear violation of international law and serve as a provocative act that furthers Israel's policy of strategic destabilization of the region."
The timing of the strikes, amid intensified negotiations over Iran's nuclear program, shows that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government has no interest in diplomatic solutions and is willing to jeopardize regional stability and global peace to pursue its own interests, it added.
Israel must immediately cease its aggressive actions, which risk triggering broader conflicts, the ministry warned.
It reiterated Türkiye's hope to not see additional bloodshed and destruction in the Middle East. The ministry also called on the international community to take immediate action to prevent the spread of war.
Israel launched a flurry of strikes on Iran late Thursday, targeting nuclear facilities, missile factories and military commanders. Iran launched about 100 drones toward Israeli territory in retaliation.
Israel's overnight attack on Iran can have "no legitimacy or justification," ruling Justice and Development Party's (AK Party) spokesperson Ömer Çelik said on the same day, describing the act as "a barbaric aggression."
With this attack, Israel has added "to its savage and barbaric attacks that set the entire region on fire," he said, condemning the "unlawful" assault in the strongest terms.
The entire world must heed Erdoğan's warnings about the consequences of the genocidal actions of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government, he implored.
Amid rising international pressure against Israel's genocidal campaign in Gaza, Israel has once again launched a new attack to divert attention from its genocide, Çelik said.
"Israeli aggression is a threat to the entire world," Çelik added, calling on the international community to take joint concrete measures against it.
Opposition parties similarly reacted to the heightened tensions. Republican People’s Party Izmir deputy Yüksel Taşkın said, “The Israeli administration is in a frenzy that could trigger a regional war,” while Good Party (IP) Chair Müsavat Dervişoğlu called on all countries “to determine and display a stance that goes beyond condemnation” and to take steps to prevent attacks instead of making statements that will encourage Israel.
