Turkey-Israel tensions flare over Syria, Lebanon, East Med: What to know
The Turkish president has accused Israel of threatening Turkey through its military actions in Syria, Lebanon and the Eastern Mediterranean, triggering a sharp exchange with the Israeli prime minister.
ANKARA — Turkey and Israel traded sharp accusations Wednesday after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Israel of threatening Turkey with its military actions in Syria, Lebanon and the Eastern Mediterranean, drawing a sharp personal rebuke from Israel and a counterattack from Ankara.
What happened: Earlier Wednesday, Erdogan lashed out at ongoing Israeli strikes in Lebanon targeting Iran-linked Hezbollah, as well as Israeli attacks in Syria.
“The attacks by Netanyahu and his network of murderers against Syria and Lebanon have reached a point where they threaten not only these two brotherly countries but also Turkey,” he said, addressing his ruling Justice and Development Party lawmakers at the Turkish parliament.
Israel has been striking Hezbollah targets in Lebanon and separately hit Syrian military sites in southern Syria in March, saying it was responding to attacks on Druze civilians, many of whom have kin in northern Israel.
