Türkiye has warned that escalating violence in the Middle East could spill across the region as US and Israeli attacks on Iran continue, calling for a renewed focus on diplomacy.
Spokesperson for Türkiye’s Ministry of National Defence, Rear Admiral Zeki Akturk, said on Thursday that the war, which began with Israeli and US strikes on Iran and escalated after Iran retaliated against Israel and targeted US and its military and financial assets in the Gulf, continues to pose a serious threat of a wider regional escalation.
“All disputes must be resolved on the basis of international law, through dialogue and diplomacy,” Akturk said.
“Our determined stance and efforts in this direction continue. We hope that conflicts harming the peace and stability of our region will be brought to an end as soon as possible.”
Akturk also condemned Israel’s ongoing military attacks across multiple fronts, including Lebanon, Syria and Palestine.
“Israel’s attacks in Lebanon,” he said, emphasising that they breached international and humanitarian law, “have led to the deaths of three UN peacekeeping personnel.”
Akturk also added that Israel continues to violate Syria’s “sovereignty and territorial integrity” with attacks in the country’s south, while also “maintaining illegal settlement activities” in the occupied West Bank and launching assaults on Gaza.
He called on the international community to take action.
“In order to prevent further damage to the legitimacy of the international system and trust in international law, we once again call on the entire international community, especially the UN, to assume responsibility in preventing Israel’s aggression,” Akturk said.
Separately, Akturk said Chief of the General Staff Gen. Selcuk Bayraktaroglu is scheduled to receive the commander of the Libyan Land Forces later on Thursday.
