By Elsie Kamsiyochi
An intense midday gun battle erupted outside the high-rise building that houses the Israeli consulate in Istanbul on Tuesday, leaving one attacker dead and two others wounded in a confrontation that rattled Turkey’s financial hub and underscored the deep freeze in Turkish-Israeli relations.
Witnesses described a chaotic scene as three assailants—wearing backpacks and armed with automatic rifles and handguns—opened fire near a police checkpoint positioned in front of the tower complex. The attackers exchanged heavy gunfire with Turkish security forces, sending office workers scrambling for cover amid the glass skyscrapers of the city’s bustling financial district.
Police officers were seen ducking behind parked white police buses as they returned fire. One attacker’s body lay motionless in the street as the clash continued for nearly ten minutes. Another individual was spotted bleeding heavily on the ground as ambulances and heavily armed police units flooded the area.
Attackers Linked to Religious Group, Says Turkish Interior Minister
Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci said the three attackers had ties to an unnamed organisation that “exploits religion,” though he declined to provide specifics. Two of the suspects were brothers who reportedly traveled to Istanbul from the nearby city of Izmit in a rented vehicle.
The motive remains unclear, but authorities said the assailants appeared to have deliberately targeted the tower that contains the Israeli consulate—a view echoed by U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack, who stated on X that the attack was aimed at the diplomatic mission and condemned it.
Notably, no Israeli diplomatic staff were inside the building at the time. Israel’s foreign ministry confirmed that consular employees left Turkey in late 2023 due to escalating security risks following the Gaza conflict.
Turkey Praises Security Forces as Diplomatic Rift Persists
President Tayyip Erdogan denounced the incident as a “heinous terrorist attack” and vowed that such violence would not undermine Turkey’s stability or national confidence. Israel’s foreign ministry expressed gratitude for the swift and forceful response from Turkish security personnel.
Two police officers sustained minor injuries, according to Istanbul Governor Davut Gul. The shootout unfolded around lunchtime adjacent to a major motorway as thousands of workers in the surrounding towers were stepping out for their midday break.
Violence Amid a Diplomatic Deep Freeze
The attack comes against the backdrop of severely strained relations between Turkey and Israel. Ankara has been a fierce critic of Israel’s military campaigns in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran, and recalled its ambassador in November 2023. With Israeli diplomats already withdrawn due to mounting protests and security concerns, the consulate has remained heavily fortified, with armed police and armoured vehicles guarding the surrounding streets.
Although large-scale militant attacks in Turkey have decreased in recent years compared to the wave of violence between 2015 and 2016, security forces continue to confront sporadic extremist cells. Late last year, three police officers and six Islamic State militants were killed in a major firefight in Yalova, where authorities said militants were planning holiday-season attacks.
Tuesday’s shootout adds a new flashpoint to a region already on edge, as tensions involving Israel, Iran, and armed groups across the Middle East continue to spill across borders.
Source Reuters
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