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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan sharply escalated his criticism of Israel on Wednesday, claiming that Israeli military operations in Syria and Lebanon now pose a threat to Turkey itself and warning against any further moves in the region.

Speaking about developments across the Middle East, Erdoğan declared, “We see comprehensive initiatives led by Israel in the Mediterranean, and no one should pursue adventures there.”

He accused Israel of destabilizing the region and broadened his criticism beyond the current conflicts, asserting that “Israel’s aggression threatens the entire world.” Erdoğan further warned that any harm to Turkish interests would draw a forceful reaction from Ankara, saying, “If the rights of Turks or Turkish-Cypriots are harmed in the Middle East – our response will be unequivocal and strong.”

The Turkish leader also emphasized what he described as Turkey’s wider strategic responsibilities in the region. “Turkey’s security does not begin in Hatay, but also in Aleppo, Damascus and Beirut. We will not tolerate any ‘fait accompli’ in our brotherly nations, and we will not turn a blind eye to aggression against them.” Referring to comments made in Israel regarding a “Greater Land of Israel,” Erdoğan added, “If Allah wills, we will never allow that.”

His remarks appeared to be linked to a report published last December by the Greek news outlet TA NEA, which claimed that Israel, Greece, and Cyprus have been discussing the establishment of a joint military framework in the eastern Mediterranean.

According to the report, the proposed alliance would consist of approximately 2,500 personnel, along with naval assets, combat aircraft, and supporting infrastructure. The force would reportedly operate from facilities in Greece, Cyprus, and Israel, including deployments on the Greek islands of Rhodes and Karpathos.

The report further stated that Israel and Greece would each contribute roughly 1,000 troops, while Cyprus would provide another 500 personnel. It also alleged that both Israel and Greece would assign an air force squadron to the initiative.

Prime Minister Netanyahu responded forcefully to Erdoğan’s accusations, issuing a statement condemning the Turkish leader.

“The antisemitic dictator Erdoğan – who is committing genocide against the Kurds, supports the Hamas terrorist organization, oppresses his own people and imprisons political rivals – is the last person who can lecture the State of Israel on morality.”

Netanyahu added that Israel would continue its military efforts against regional threats.

“The State of Israel and the IDF, the most moral army in the world, will continue to take forceful action against Iran and its proxies, which threaten the Middle East and the entire world.”

Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar also blasted Erdoğan, accusing him of hypocrisy and warning against any confrontation with Israel.

“The tyrant Erdoğan, whose hands are covered in blood, must be held accountable for his crimes and not preach morality to the only democratic state in the Middle East. If he dares to test us – his fate will be worse than that of the dying Iranian regime.”

The exchange comes amid increasingly hostile rhetoric from Turkish officials toward Israel. In recent days, Turkey’s Interior Minister, Mustafa Çipçi, delivered remarks at a conference of the ruling party in which he predicted that Turkey would eventually gain control of Jerusalem.

Drawing parallels to recent geopolitical developments in the region, Çipçi declared, “As we saw the liberation of Damascus, Aleppo and Karabakh, so, with Allah’s help, one day we will see the liberation of Jerusalem as well.”

{Matzav.com}

The United States escalated its military campaign against Iran on Wednesday evening, launching another round of strikes after President Trump signaled that further action was imminent unless Tehran returned to meaningful negotiations over a broader peace agreement.

Announcing the operation, U.S. Central Command confirmed that additional attacks had begun under orders from the president.

“U.S. Central Command [CENTCOM] forces began launching additional self-defense strikes today at 5:15 p.m. ET against multiple targets in Iran at the Commander in Chief’s direction,” the Tampa, Fla.-based combat command said in a statement on X.

“The strikes are in response to Iran’s unwarranted and continued aggression.”

Military officials did not immediately release details regarding the locations targeted, the extent of the damage, or whether there were any casualties.

The latest strikes followed a day of heightened regional tensions after Iran launched attacks against Bahrain, Jordan, and Kuwait, all countries that host American military personnel. The operation also came one day after Washington carried out its first wave of attacks in response to an Iranian drone shooting down a U.S. Army helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz.

Earlier Wednesday, the U.S. military reported taking action against a commercial tanker accused of violating the American blockade of Iranian ports along the strategically vital waterway. According to CENTCOM, a U.S. aircraft disabled the Palau-registered tanker M/T Settebello by targeting its engine compartment. The vessel became the eighth merchant ship put out of operation by American forces in waters surrounding Iran.

Capt. Tim Hawkins, a CENTCOM spokesman, said an American aircraft fired “precision munitions” into the engine room of the Palau-flagged vessel M/T Settebello, making it the eighth merchant vessel disabled by US forces in waters off Iran.

India’s government later reported that three Indian crew members aboard the tanker were unaccounted for following the strike, while 21 others were safely rescued. New Delhi’s statement did not reference either the United States or the maritime blockade.

According to Hawkins, U.S. forces issued warnings to those aboard the vessel before opening fire.

Speaking to reporters at the White House on Wednesday afternoon, Trump made clear that additional military action was on the way while again urging Iran to accept a deal that would eliminate its pursuit of nuclear weapons.

“We’re going to hit them again hard today,” Trump told reporters at the White House Wednesday afternoon before urging Iran to sign a peace deal that would include them giving up ambitions of acquiring a nuclear weapon.

Defense officials echoed the president’s message, emphasizing that American military operations would continue.

“CENTCOM will be busy tonight because President Trump said we will be hitting Iran hard — and we will be,” War Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters in Florida.

Hegseth argued that Tehran still had an opportunity to reach an agreement but had repeatedly failed to follow through.

“Iran has a chance to make a good deal, a great deal, to codify what they said they’ve been willing to do, and they haven’t been willing to do it,” he added.

He also warned that the administration’s patience had run out.

“As President Trump said, they’ve been tap, tap, tapping [the US along on making a deal] … instead, they are going to have tap, tap, tap, bombs dropping on key facilities in Iran from the United States of America.”

Iran’s government responded defiantly. Addressing the United Nations Security Council, Tehran’s ambassador rejected any suggestion that pressure or military threats would force concessions.

“Iran has never negotiated under threats and pressure and will never submit to pressure or question,” Tehran’s ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, told the Security Council.

Despite the military escalation, diplomatic efforts have not completely ceased. After discussions with American officials, a Qatari delegation arrived in Tehran on Wednesday to continue mediation efforts, according to a source familiar with the talks who spoke on condition of anonymity.

At the center of the dispute remains Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium. Washington insists that Tehran must surrender the material, which experts say is only a short step away from weapons-grade enrichment, even though Iranian officials continue to maintain that their nuclear program serves peaceful purposes.

Iran, however, has refused to relinquish the uranium reserves and is demanding significant sanctions relief. Tehran is also seeking access to frozen assets before any final agreement is completed, a condition Trump has firmly rejected.

With both sides maintaining sharply different positions, prospects for a breakthrough remain uncertain. Trump expressed frustration Wednesday in a Truth Social post, accusing Iran of dragging out the process.

He wrote that Iran was taking “too long to negotiate a deal” and “now they will have to pay the price!!!”

Complicating matters further, Tehran has insisted that any agreement ending the conflict must also halt hostilities involving its ally Hezbollah and Israel. Israel, however, has moved in the opposite direction, expanding military operations against the Lebanon-based terror organization.

{Matzav.com}

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