Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned that Israel’s continued attacks in Syria and Lebanon have reached a level that poses a direct security threat to Turkey. Speaking to lawmakers from his ruling AK Party on Wednesday, Erdogan described Israel’s actions as aggression that endangers global stability and must be stopped immediately. He accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his associates of escalating the situation to a point that now threatens Turkey’s own safety, emphasizing that Ankara’s security is closely tied to that of Syria and Lebanon.

Turkey, a NATO member, has long condemned Israel’s operations in Iran, Gaza, and Lebanon, calling Israel the main obstacle to regional peace. Ankara has already suspended all trade with Israel and urged international legal action against it. Erdogan further alleged that Israel is secretly working to destabilize the Mediterranean and Africa by fueling divisions in Cyprus, warning that any violation of Turkish or Turkish Cypriot rights in the Eastern Mediterranean would meet a strong response.

Erdogan also blamed Israel for provoking recent U.S.-Iran tensions and urged world powers to take a clearer stance, saying that holding Israel accountable under international law is a shared responsibility of all humanity.