Turkiye warns Israel may be seeking chance to strike Iran

WEB DESK: Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has warned that Israel appears to be seeking an opening to carry out a military strike against Iran, cautioning that such an action would further inflame an already volatile region.

Speaking in an interview with Turkish broadcaster NTV on Friday, Fidan said recent developments suggested Israel was actively looking for an opportunity to target Iran. While expressing hope that escalation could still be avoided, he said the signals coming from Israel were troubling and posed a serious risk to regional stability.

When asked whether his assessment applied to both Israel and the United States, Fidan clarified that his concerns were directed primarily at Israel, according to reports by Turkish media. He added that Ankara was closely monitoring the situation and had raised its concerns directly with Iranian leaders.

Fidan said he conveyed his views during a recent visit to Tehran, stressing that Turkiye was sharing its assessment in good faith. “As a friend, you have a responsibility to speak openly, even when the truth is uncomfortable,” he said, according to local reporting.

His remarks came a day after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held a telephone conversation with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, during which Erdogan reiterated Turkiye’s opposition to any external intervention in Iran and emphasised the importance of peace and stability in the region.

Meanwhile, tensions have continued to rise between Iran and the United States. A senior Iranian official told the Reuters news agency that Tehran would view any military attack by its adversaries as an act of full-scale war and would respond forcefully. The official said Iran’s armed forces were on high alert amid what it described as a growing US military presence in the region.

Earlier this week, US President Donald Trump said an armada of American naval vessels had been deployed towards the Gulf, once again sharpening rhetoric against Tehran after briefly toning it down in recent days.

US media reports said the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier and its strike group were expected to arrive in the region soon, adding to fears of a broader confrontation as diplomatic efforts struggle to ease tensions.