Politics
Türkiye ready for spillover of Iran-Israel war, repeats peace call
Türkiye will continue to do everything in its power to further diplomacy and end Israel’s attacks, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Wednesday, warning of regional repercussions as tensions between Iran and Israel have surged.
“We are doing everything we can to stop (Israel’s) inhumane aggression against Gaza, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen and our neighbor Iran,” Erdoğan said, speaking during the Justice and Development Party’s (AK Party) parliamentary group meeting in Ankara.
“We are closely following Israel’s terrorist attacks against Iran. All our institutions are on alert regarding the possible effects of these attacks on Türkiye,” he added. “We are not running a grocery store here. We are running one of the world’s greatest countries, the Republic of Türkiye. Our state’s experience, historical heritage and experience of our nation is our guiding light,” he said.
Saying that it is entirely “natural, legitimate and lawful” for Iran to defend itself against Israel’s “banditry and state terrorism,” Erdoğan said. “Iran is blatantly attacked by a spoiled country which knows no rules and recognizes no laws, a country without principles,” he said.
On Israel’s attacks on Iran, Erdoğan highlighted that they were carried out while Iran’s nuclear talks were still underway. “Israel owns nuclear weapons and has ignored all international rules in the development of nuclear weapons. Yet, it did not wait for negotiations to conclude and committed a blatant terror attack,” he said. “Unfortunately, international institutions, particularly the United Nations and states, are silent in the face of the aggression unfolding before their eyes. Some even openly support this banditry. Those who remained silent in the face of 620 days of violence in Gaza, which is a shame for humanity, adhered to the silence as the fire spread across our region. Remaining silent in the face of this disrespect for rules, this state terrorism and banditry is equal to consenting to it,” he said.
He said Türkiye had been engaged in diplomacy since June 13, noting that he had held talks with the presidents of Iran and the U.S., as well as leaders of regional countries and Russian President Vladimir Putin. “As a country that can hold talks with Iran, we advocated a diplomatic solution to resolve the nuclear dispute. We will continue to do so,” he stressed. “We don’t have any land ambitions in the region. We don’t want to harm other countries’ territorial integrity or sovereignty. We only want peace and stability,” he said.
“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has long surpassed Hitler. We hope their fates will not be the same.” He elaborated on Israel’s actions targeting Palestinians, “that evolved from mass punishment to massacres and ultimately to genocide.” He noted that more than 55,000 innocent Gazans died in 620 days of violence and Israel’s attacks became more barbaric. “Israel condemned 2 million civilians striving to survive in Gaza, filled with rubble, to hunger and water scarcity. Not content with that, they fired upon innocent people rushing to aid at the distribution point, and every day, they massacre people suffering from hunger,” he said.
“It is clear that even the most starkly brutal images of the Holocaust are not as striking as what we see in Gaza today,” he noted.
He underscored the human toll of Israel’s actions, warning: “The blood of massacred civilians, murdered babies and children is splattered not only on the hands and faces of those who support Israel’s arrogance, but also on those who remain silent.”
He reassured the public, stating: “Our nation can rest assured. The government is fully committed to safeguarding Türkiye’s interests, peace, unity and security.” Erdoğan added: “We have made and are preparing for every possible negative development and scenario.” “You have to be ready for war if you want peace,” he stated. “Nobody should test our resolve, our patience. We sincerely fight for peace, but we respond in kind if confronted. Any attack will be confronted by the steel will of our government,” he said.
On June 13, Israel launched large-scale attacks targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities across several cities, as well as high-ranking military command centers. Iranian media reported Wednesday that the death toll from Israeli airstrikes across Tehran and other populated areas has risen to 585, with at least 1,326 people injured since the attacks started last week. In retaliation, Iran’s military launched ballistic missiles at Israel, killing 24 people and wounding over 500, according to reports. Numerous countries, including Türkiye, have condemned Israel’s actions.
Since a new round of the Palestine-Israel conflict erupted in 2023, Türkiye has been on alert, and Erdoğan had warned that Israel may set its sights on Türkiye in the future, citing the Netanyahu administration’s expansionist goals. Over time, Israel launched attacks in Lebanon and Syria and hurled veiled threats toward Türkiye, calling on Ankara not to side with Palestinians.
Erdoğan also underlined that Türkiye had started to invest in and develop its defense industry at the right time, looking at the regional developments and the world order breaking down.
Pointing to global tensions and increasing conflicts, Erdoğan said that Türkiye must be united – the steps of which have been laid through the terror-free Türkiye initiative.
The initiative was launched by government ally Devlet Bahçeli, head of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), who called on the PKK’s jailed leader Abdullah Öcalan to appeal to the PKK to lay down arms last year.
Soon, his call evolved into a new initiative that saw Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) lawmakers visiting Öcalan in the island prison where he is incarcerated in the Marmara Sea. As a result and in a landmark development, the PKK last month announced its dissolution and the end of its four-decade terror campaign that cost tens of thousands of lives in Türkiye, as well as in Iraq and Syria.
Earlier this week, Erdoğan had pointed out that Türkiye was becoming a strong deterrent force thanks to its flourishing defense arsenal, boasting everything from locally-made missiles to armed drones.
Last year, Türkiye announced plans to form an indigenous multilayered air defense system that features a network-centric and AI-supported multiplatform-integrated shield across large swaths of land, seeking to provide an impenetrable defense system over Turkish airspace. The “Steel Dome Project,” approved by the Defense Industry Executive Committee, aims to integrate multiple layers of domestic air defense systems, sensors and weapons under a unified network structure.
Turkish missile producer Roketsan plays a key role in improving Turkish air defense systems. Most prominent among them is Tayfun, which has a range above 280 kilometers (174 miles). Its hypersonic speed helps the missile dodge the air defenses of targeted locations. It can operate under diverse weather conditions.
Bora, which has a range of 280 kilometers, provides an adequate firepower against strategic targets within the battlefield, such as artillery and air defense systems, radar command and control positions, and communication systems.
The TRG-300 guided missile can be fired at even the most distant targets in less than five minutes with its 20 to 120-kilometer range and similarly, the TRG-230 has a slightly reduced range of up to 70 kilometers but stands out with its cost-effectiveness and optional laser seeker heads. Meanwhile, the TRG-122 missile can be effective on targets up to 28 kilometers away, but its high precision ensures that the avoidance of civilian casualties can be minimized. Similarly, the TRLG-122 laser-guided missile, with a range of up to 30 kilometers, can pinpoint targets with its laser seeker head.
The CNRA multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) can fire at targets upward of 280 kilometers with high accuracy and timing, and targets can be air defense systems, radar sites, command and control systems, logistics facilities and others. The TR-107 and the TR-122 artillery rockets can continuously fire regardless of the time of day and neutralize targets in all sorts of operations, while the TR-122 and the TRB-122 rockets can be fired from a wide range of MLRSs for operational flexibility and rapid deployment. The T-106/122 MLRS provides the user with effective fire support to maneuver units against high-priority targets in all weather conditions, day or night, and its battery can allow the system to perform independent missions. Additionally, the parachute-equipped variant of the TR-122 rocket, signal jammers and cameras replaced the traditional warheads, and its dislocating front section allows the engine to be separated so that the payload can glide with the parachute open. The Kara Atmaca surface-to-surface long-range cruise missile is a jam-resistant munition that can be launched from a tactical land vehicle and it is planned to be used against fixed land targets with a maximum operational range of 280 kilometers. The Tanok 120-millimeter laser-guided anti-tank cannon missile can be fired from tanks without modifications and boasts a highly accurate and cost-effective solution on the battlefield with a range of over 6 kilometers.
Meanwhile, the UMTAS/LUMTAS-GM air-to-surface anti-tank guided missile system is used against targets out of the line of sight without detection, with a range of 15 kilometers for air platforms and 20 kilometers for ground platforms. The two configurations include the image-processing infrared seeker and the semi-active laser seeker heads. The OMTAS medium-range anti-tank missile system is effective against armored targets and its seeker head, capable of infrared imaging, allows it to operate day and night in all weather conditions with a range of 4 kilometers. In addition, the L-OMTAS laser-guided medium-range anti-tank weapon system is strong against armored threats with its armor-piercing warhead. The missile can lock onto the target before or after firing, making it highly effective against moving targets and its own tripod platform for launching allows it to be used on land platforms with open or closed turret integration. The Karaok short-range anti-tank guided missile boasts the capability to attack both fixed and moving targets, tanks and other armored and combat vehicles with a maximum operational range of 2.5 kilometers.
Additionally, the KMC-U tactical missile system features 360-degree rotation and high mobility and can be controlled from the inside or outside of the vehicle it is attached to and boasts infrared and laser-guided warheads. The 105/155-millimeter Howitzer Ammunition Range Correction Kit is an alternative to the standard fuses used in unguided artillery munitions with multiple fuse functions, and its data link infrastructure allows the kit to track multiple munitions in the air and transmit commands on the fly.
The SOM air-to-surface standoff missile stands out among Roketsan’s air systems, as it is used against heavily protected targets on land and sea and can reach outside the range of air defense missile systems. The Teber high-precision guidance kit is used to integrate into MK-81 and MK-82 bombs to enhance their striking capabilities against moving and fixed targets, while the Laçin smart guidance kit uses an imaging infrared seeker warhead and the tactical data link for the MK-82 bomb to boost its capability. Meanwhile, the UAV-230 air-to-surface ballistic supersonic missile is used as a tool of psychological warfare, as its long range of 150 kilometers can attack targets from far away without facing enemy threats.
The MAM-T smart munition is highly destructive in air-to-surface missions and was developed for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and light attack aircraft, and its various warheads can enhance its capabilities. For instance, the MAM-T IIR uses an imaging infrared seeker warhead, allowing the user to deploy the munition even in the harshest of conditions, while the MAM-C laser-guided mini-smart munition can be used against human targets, vehicles and other surface targets in a relatively short range of 8 kilometers. Roketsan’s laser-guided long-range anti-tank missile system L-UMTAS is a highly precise armor-piercing weapon used against moving and fixed targets, while the Cirit laser-guided missile is a cost-effective solution against lightly armored and unarmored targets from surface to naval and air vehicles. The Alpagut smart loitering munition system can also be used similarly to the Cirit missile against fixed and moving targets on sea and surface, whether it be critical facilities like command centers or human targets, with a range of 60 kilometers.
The Barbaros is a coastal defense system that can fire the Atmaca and Çakır long-range anti-cruise missiles integrated into the mobile vehicle battery and its operations and missions can be directed by a command and control vehicle. Meanwhile, torpedoes Akya and Orka provide high speed and a long range and can be internally and externally guided via fiber optics. The latter, Orka, was developed entirely through domestic capabilities. The Temren long-range anti-tank missile system is used in integrating anti-tank missiles into Seahawk helicopters and the procurement of guided missiles (G/Ms), while the Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Rocket and Launcher System is used against underwater targets, equipped with an integrated weapons management system and sonar with a range of up to 2 kilometers and 300 meters (984 feet) of depth.
Roketsan’s Siper long-range air and missile defense system provides for the survival of allied troops in war by limiting, delaying or destroying enemy targets in surface-to-air munition attacks. It is designed to protect strategic facilities with two different variations, while Hisar air defense missiles are used to protect military bases, ports and other facilities against aircraft and UAVs. The Burç ground-based mobile air defense system employs superior firepower and active and passive sensors against air threats, with its tracking capabilities provided by 360-degree air surveillance and fire control data processed by advanced algorithms. In addition, the Sungur short-range air defense missile system is used against moving and stationary human targets and facilities, while the Levent close-range system, operating similarly to Sungur, is used to neutralize aircraft, UAVs and guided missiles in all weather conditions and surface-to-air attacks. On the other hand, the directed-energy weapon named Alka uses a two-layered close hybrid air defense system, enabling asymmetric threats to be “soft killed” with its electromagnetic jamming weapon and properly neutralized with a laser weapon.
Additionally, the Midlas vertical launcher system stores G/Ms for surface-to-air attacks and can launch them with hot or cold launch methods according to the commands it receives from the vessel’s combat management system. Its electromechanical launching system can fire different types of G/Ms one by one or consecutively at various targets.
Opposition corruption
Erdoğan also criticized the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) for several corruption cases within the party and especially the municipalities the party holds across Türkiye.
“The situation of the main opposition, which cannot break free from the control of a handful of bandits settled in Istanbul, I regret to say, does not suit our democracy or Turkish politics at all,” Erdoğan said.
“A chronic shortfall of the main opposition is getting deeper in Türkiye,” he warned.
Pointing to the disputes and intrigues among the actors of the CHP, Erodğan added: “We are confused, too, as to whether we are watching Türkiye’s main opposition party or a soap opera full of intrigues and betrayals.”
Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu, along with dozens of others, is currently under arrest on charges of corruption related to his two-time tenure as mayor of the city, as well as his previous tenure as mayor of the city’s Beylikdüzü district.
Prosecutors say he led a criminal network profiting from bribes from businesses and tender rigging, among other offenses. His alleged cohorts, from municipality employees to owners of companies who were awarded lucrative contracts, were among the detainees and those formally arrested on March 22.
The Chief Prosecutor’s Office in Istanbul said several witnesses came out in the case against the alleged Imamoğlu-led network, disclosing a scheme of bribery that started after Imamoğlu took office in 2019.
Damaged vessels from the Global Sumud Flotilla are being repaired in Türkiye’s Antalya after an Israeli attack in international waters, with volunteers working to prepare the ships for another voyage toward Gaza.
Some of the vessels were left with damaged engines, broken masts and torn sails after the attack. They were later brought to Antalya, where local and international volunteers are carrying out repairs at a shipyard.
Two vessels have already been repaired and sent to Italy as part of preparations for another Gaza-bound mission, said Sümeyra Akdeniz Ordu, a board member of the Global Sumud Flotilla.
“We are trying to recover the ships drifting at sea one by one. We are carrying out a rescue mission,” Ordu told Anadolu Agency (AA). “We are repairing these ships so they can sail to Gaza again.”
Fourteen flotilla vessels are currently in Antalya, Ordu said, adding that volunteers from different countries were helping coordinate and repair the ships.
She said each vessel had a special significance for the activists and that they were treating the ships “like their own children” as they worked to restore them.
The damage was extensive, Ordu said, describing broken masts, damaged engines and cut hoses. She also said the sails had been torn with knives.
“The mast was broken, surface cleaner and coffee had been poured into the engines, and the hoses on each ship had been cut one by one,” she said. “They caused this damage by ramming them with larger ships.”
The repairs have been difficult because of the extent of the damage, but volunteers have continued working, Ordu said.
Türkiye has provided a safe port for the repair effort, she added.
Ordu said the activists remained determined to continue their efforts despite the damage to the vessels.
“If the enemy does not give up, we cannot give up,” she said. “We are trying to be a voice here for our Palestinian friends.”
She said the damage to the vessels showed what she described as the violence and hostility directed at the flotilla.
“We, too, insist on continuing every form of resistance,” Ordu said.
Türkiye condemned a drone attack on a power distribution station in the Saudi city of Medina that supplies electricity to the Prophet’s Mosque, reiterating its support for Saudi Arabia amid renewed regional tensions.
Ömer Çelik, spokesperson for Türkiye’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), condemned the attack on Friday, saying targeting infrastructure serving the Prophet’s Mosque was unacceptable.
“Attacks targeting our sacred values are illegitimate acts directed against all Muslims,” Çelik said in a social media post, adding that Türkiye strongly supported Saudi Arabia’s security and stability.
The targeted facility supplies electricity to the Prophet’s Mosque, Islam’s second-holiest site. The attack put one transformer out of service but did not affect the electricity network.
Türkiye’s Foreign Ministry also strongly condemned the attack, saying strikes targeting civilian infrastructure and threatening Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty and security should “cease immediately and unconditionally.”
The ministry reiterated Türkiye’s support for Saudi Arabia and called on parties to avoid steps that could further escalate tensions in the region.
“We reaffirm our strong support for Saudi Arabia and emphasize the need to avoid any steps that would further escalate tensions in the region,” the statement said.
Presidential Communications Director Burhanettin Duran on Friday separately condemned the strike and said Türkiye would continue to stand by Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi-led coalition said an investigation and examination of drone wreckage indicated Houthi involvement in the Sept. 29 attack.
Coalition spokesperson Maj. Gen. Turki Al Maliki said the targeted facility supplies electricity to the Prophet’s Mosque, one of Islam’s holiest sites.
Saudi Arabia said two weeks ago it had intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of Mecca before it entered restricted airspace over the Muslim holy city. The coalition described that incident as the second Houthi attempt to target Mecca since 2017.
Earlier on Thursday, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and several Arab countries, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain, also condemned the attack on Medina.
The OIC described the targeting of vital infrastructure and facilities as “a dangerous escalation and a blatant violation of the sanctity of holy sites,” as well as international and humanitarian laws and norms.
Bashiqa-Zilkan, a key Turkish base in Iraq, will soon be handed over to Iraqi authorities while Turkish troops are expected to withdraw from the country. The development, which comes amid the withdrawal of U.S. forces from the country, which remained there as part of an anti-Daesh coalition, signals the start of a new era for Iraq and Türkiye. The Ministry of National Defense said in a statement on Thursday that the handover of the base did not mean an end to cooperation with Iraq and, on the contrary, Türkiye would continue supporting Iraq’s security and stability.
Türkiye and Iraq agreed earlier this month to deepen security cooperation, restore full Iraqi state authority in Sinjar and begin the gradual handover of the Bashiqa-Zilkan military base to Baghdad under an agreed timetable.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi announced the steps in a joint statement following talks in New York on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly.
The ministry said Türkiye welcomed steps to ensure state authority in Sinjar. The base was set up in 2015 to help Iraq fight against Daesh and later maintained its presence when the terrorist group PKK sought to replace Daesh following the liberation of Sinjar.
“These steps will contribute to normalization of the region, establishing an environment of security and stability and a terror-free region,” the ministry said, using an expression referring to Ankara’s “terror-free Türkiye” initiative, which aims to disarm the PKK.
The statement also said it was decided to gradually hand over the compound to the central government in Baghdad, “based on improvement of security in Sinjar.”
“Our country, as it did in the past, stands with our neighbor Iraq in terms of maintaining an environment of security and stability. Throughout future contacts, we are planning to take steps that will further advance military and security cooperation. We will continue supporting Iraq’s armed forces in increasing military capacity, sharing know-how in counterterrorism and in the fields of military training and defense industry cooperation, based on bilateral agreements,” the ministry stated.
Ayhan Sarı, an assistant professor at the Turkish-German University and a security and foreign policy expert at the Turkish Research Foundation (TAV), noted that Türkiye’s withdrawal was linked to ending the PKK’s presence in Sinjar and the re-establishment of Baghdad’s authority there.
Sarı told Daily Sabah that Türkiye has been in Iraq as an exercise of its right to self-defense under international law, particularly Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, which recognizes the right to individual and collective self-defense against armed attacks. “Türkiye’s presence in Iraq has been due to the PKK threat in the north. (The dissolution) of the PKK will remove the need to remain in Iraq,” Sarı said.
He noted that the PKK and other terrorist groups had, for years, filled the power vacuum that emerged in Iraq’s northern region following the beginning of the Iraq War.
“Iraq’s central government claims it can find a solution to this vacuum through recent steps and establish full authority within its borders after the U.S. withdrawal,” Sarı said.
A U.S.-led coalition deployed in Iraq more than a decade ago against Daesh formally concluded its mission on Wednesday. Daesh was largely expelled from Iraq and Syria, also thanks to Türkiye’s cross-border operations in Assad-era Syria, but U.S. forces remained. Washington and Baghdad reached an agreement two years ago to wind down the mission.
Sarı said it was only natural that Türkiye was supportive of Iraq’s steps to ensure security on its own, since Ankara was committed to developing good relations with its neighbors and centered its foreign policy on peace and stability.
“As it did in Syria, Türkiye sides with central authority, stability and security in Iraq. Türkiye will support this move and will do whatever it can to ensure that this mission succeeds in maintaining stability and security, based on its neighborly relations,” he said.
Sarı added that Iraq’s efforts were compatible with Türkiye’s foreign policy and plans. “Iraq’s success will also mean the complete expulsion of the PKK from that country. This expulsion, removal of this malignant tumor between Türkiye and Iraq, will certainly add momentum to Turkish-Iraqi relations,” he also stated.
Speaking at the inauguration of the new legislative year at the Turkish Parliament on Thursday, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan hailed a law passed by Parliament on terror-free Türkiye, which involves the disarmament of the terrorist group PKK.
“Consensus on a terror-free Türkiye has upset the country’s foes. (Terror-free Türkiye) is already having a deterrent effect on Türkiye’s foes and is empowering the country,” Erdoğan said.
The president also urged other political parties to strengthen the “home front” amid regional tensions and reach a “grand Türkiye consensus.”
The Law on Strengthening National Solidarity and Social Integration was approved by Parliament in August following months of political consultations over the government’s terror-free Türkiye initiative. The 12-article legislation received broad parliamentary backing, with 468 lawmakers voting in favor, 88 against and six abstaining. It mainly involves deferral of sentences and prosecution, as part of the initiative that paved the way for the dissolution of the PKK.
For decades, the PKK remained the main security threat for Türkiye, and its violent campaign is blamed for the deaths of thousands of people and immense economic losses, especially in southeastern Türkiye. Apart from small nationalist parties, almost all political parties openly supported the initiative, something rare in polarized Turkish politics.
“The era of opposition solely based on opposing what the government did is over. It is a grave mistake to reduce politics to antagonizing the rivals, to a war of attrition, instead of making it a race in offering the best public services. Regional and global developments require us to pursue a new style of politics,” Erdoğan told Parliament amid constant applause from lawmakers from his Justice and Development Party (AK Party). The main opposition New Party (YP) left Parliament’s general assembly hall as Erdoğan took the floor.
“We have two options now: We will either continue with the old way of politics focusing on polarization, or we will build new politics based on finding common ground, finding consensus amid competition,” he said.
“If we are meant to make Türkiye great and strong again, if we are meant to utilize historic opportunities, we have to adapt to this paradigm shift altogether and without losing more time,” he said.
The president said they did not expect all political parties to fully align or have the same opinion.
“Different views are certainly the wealth of Türkiye, Turkish democracy. But all political parties should prioritize Türkiye. Every party should draw power from its own dynamics, its grassroots, to carry out ‘Türkiye-oriented politics,'” Erdoğan said.
“Reconciliation and tolerance should replace conflict and polarization. We have to find common ground on matters essential for every member of our nation. This is what we call the ‘grand Türkiye consensus,'” Erdoğan added.
New constitution
The president also focused on drafting a new constitution. “The goal of a new and civilian constitution is a struggle for Turkish democracy to prove its maturity. Our esteemed Parliament is competent and authorized to draft a constitution under all circumstances and in every period. A new constitution that will broaden Türkiye’s horizons will be the product not of a politics of polarization, but of a new politics based on competition within consensus. Our nation’s longing for a new constitution must not be held hostage by manufactured fears. Our position regarding the first four articles of the Constitution currently in force is clear. Rolling up our sleeves for a new and civilian constitution worthy of the ‘Century of Türkiye’ is a genuine test of sincerity for everyone. I hope the current legislative year will be a year of constitutional reform that expands Türkiye’s opportunities and potential,” he said.
Since the founding of the Republic of Türkiye, constitutional design has served as the backbone of the country’s legal system. The current Constitution, adopted in 1982, has been repeatedly amended over the decades, most notably in 2017, when a national referendum paved the way for the country’s transition from a parliamentary model to an executive presidential system.
Despite numerous amendments over the decades, replacing the 1982 Constitution with a new, civilian-drafted charter remains a prominent issue in Türkiye’s political debate.
Erdoğan and Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş have repeatedly advocated for a new civilian constitution, arguing that the existing charter retains the legacy of military rule under which it was drafted despite extensive subsequent amendments.
Türkiye condemned Thursday a drone attack by Houthis on a power station in the Muslim holy city of Medina, reaffirming its support for Saudi Arabia.
The targeted facility supplies electricity to the Prophet’s Mosque, Islam’s second-holiest site. The attack put one transformer out of service but did not affect the electricity network.
The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said on Thursday that an investigation and examination of drone wreckage confirmed Houthi involvement in planning and carrying out Tuesday’s attack.
“We strongly condemn the Houthis’ attack on civilian infrastructure serving the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
“These provocative attacks, which threaten Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty and security and target the sacred values of the Islamic world, must cease immediately and unconditionally,” it said.
Saudi Arabia said two weeks ago it had intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of Mecca before it entered restricted airspace over the Muslim holy city. The coalition described that incident as the second Houthi attempt to target Mecca since 2017.
The Foreign Ministry emphasized the need to avoid any steps that would further escalate tensions.
“We reaffirm our strong support for Saudi Arabia and emphasize the need to avoid any steps that would further escalate tensions in the region,” the statement said.
Earlier Thursday, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and several Arab countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain, also condemned the attack on Medina.
The OIC described the targeting of vital infrastructure and facilities as “a dangerous escalation and a blatant violation of the sanctity of holy sites,” as well as international and humanitarian laws and norms.
The organization affirmed its full solidarity with Saudi Arabia in measures taken to protect its territory, security and stability, defend Islamic holy sites and safeguard citizens and residents.
The UAE Foreign Ministry said the drone attack constituted “a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of Saudi Arabia and a threat to its security and stability.”
The Saudi-led coalition said the Medina attack was part of what it described as repeated Houthi attempts to target the Two Holy Mosques and “provoke” Muslims worldwide. It said it would continue taking measures to protect the holy sites and pilgrims.
Houthis denied the accusation.
The latest escalation is the most serious fighting between Saudi Arabia and the Iran-aligned Houthis since a U.N.-brokered truce largely halted cross-border attacks in 2022. Hostilities resumed this year after the Houthis declared a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia in July and began attacking Saudi territory and shipping, while Houthi forces also made major territorial gains along Yemen’s Red Sea coast.
Saudi Arabia has responded with airstrikes in Yemen and backed government forces fighting to push back the Houthis.
Turkish authorities detained Eyüpsultan Mayor Mithat Bülent Özmen and 27 other suspects earlier Friday as part of a corruption investigation involving the Istanbul district municipality, prosecutors said.
The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office said detention orders were issued for 28 suspects over allegations including membership in a criminal organization, receiving and giving bribes and bid rigging.
All 28 suspects were detained in simultaneous operations carried out by financial crimes police, according to the prosecutor’s office. Authorities also conducted searches and seizures at addresses linked to the suspects and searched the Republican People’s Party (CHP)-run Eyüpsultan Municipality building.
Prosecutors said the investigation was being conducted in coordination with the Ankara Police Department’s Financial Crimes Investigation Branch.
“The investigation continues in a comprehensive and meticulous manner,” the prosecutor’s office said.
Özmen, who serves as mayor of Istanbul’s Eyüpsultan district, was among those taken into custody.
The detentions are part of an ongoing investigation, and no court has ruled on the allegations against the suspects.
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