Former Turkish Prime Minister Professor Dr. Necmettin Erbakan used a crocodile metaphor to explain Western foreign policy and Israel’s role in the Middle East, according to the report published on August 22, 2026. His comparison of Israel and Zionism with parts of a crocodile continues to be discussed in Turkish political movements and media.

Erbakan described the United States as the crocodile’s upper jaw, representing the main political and military power in this structure. He described the European Union as the lower jaw, referring to Europe’s institutional and economic cooperation within the Western system. He compared Israel to the crocodile’s tail, portraying it as a small but effective component supported and directed by larger powers for activities in the Middle East.

Erbakan led the Islamist Milli Gorus movement, a political current strongly opposed to Western-led globalization, capitalism and Zionism. Its ideology regarded these issues as interconnected and as threats to the Muslim world. Erbakan served as Turkey’s 23rd prime minister from 1996 to 1997 and died on February 27, 2011.

Turkey has requested an Interpol red notice for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Afek Moskovich in a case concerning the Global Freedom Flotilla bound for Gaza. Turkish Justice Minister Akin Gurlek announced the move in a post on X on August 21, 2026. He said arrest warrants had been issued against the two on July 14 and that the Interior Ministry was asked to begin the process of locating them internationally.

The case is pending before Istanbul’s 11th High Criminal Court and involves 35 defendants. It concerns an armed intervention against civilians seeking to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza in international waters. The court handles serious criminal cases including crimes against humanity, terrorism and matters involving state security.

The accusations against Netanyahu and Moskovich include genocide, crimes against humanity, torture, intentional injury, deprivation of liberty, property damage, aggravated robbery and vehicle hijacking. No further details about Moskovich were provided. Gurlek said Turkey would not allow crimes committed in Gaza to be covered up or those responsible to be protected by impunity.

Turkey has announced a new 2026–2030 Artificial Intelligence Action Plan aimed at establishing the country as one of the world’s leading AI hubs by 2030. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed the circular on Tuesday, and it was subsequently published in the official gazette. Coordinated by the Ministry of Industry and Technology, the roadmap seeks technological self-reliance and broader use of AI-based solutions in strategic sectors.

The plan is structured around awareness, use, production and governance, with the stated aim of building a reliable and strong AI ecosystem. Within two years, Turkey plans to provide AI training to 5 million citizens across all 81 provinces, develop 10,000 high-level AI specialists and train 100,000 AI implementation professionals. The government also plans to prepare at least 2,000 public datasets and establish legal and ethical frameworks to protect users’ rights.

Turkey targets 1 gigawatt of installed data-centre computing capacity by 2030 and plans to allocate 20 million GPU-hours for researchers, startups and small businesses. Public institutions have been instructed to devote at least 2% of investment budgets to AI projects. The plan also targets at least $10 billion in private-sector-led AI and data-centre investment.

Turkey has moved from heavy dependence on foreign weapons and military equipment to producing its own fighter jets, drones, warships, missiles, tanks and advanced defense technologies, according to a report published on August 18, 2026. Ankara is also strengthening its position among major global arms exporters. The number of defense companies has risen from 56 in 2002 to more than 4,500, while defense projects increased from 62 to nearly 1,400.

The total value of those projects has grown from $5.5 billion to more than $100 billion. Defense and aerospace exports rose from $248 million in 2002 to $10.05 billion in 2025. During the first seven months of this year, Turkey exported $5.79 billion in military and aerospace goods, with an annualized figure of about $11.2 billion through July. The report says Turkey is now the world’s 11th-largest defense exporter.

Baykar’s Bayraktar TB2, Akinci and Kizilelma drones feature prominently in the country’s defense development. Turkish Aerospace’s KAAN fighter first flew in February 2024, and Indonesia has agreed to buy 48 aircraft, the report said. Domestic technology use has exceeded 85 percent, while Turkish defense products are exported to about 185 countries.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has pledged continued support for Syria, Gaza and Lebanon to help establish stability in the Middle East. In an interview with Al Jazeera published on August 17, 2026, he said Turkey would maintain its support for Palestine and that he plans to visit Syria. The interview marked the 25th anniversary of the ruling Justice and Development Party.

On Syria, Erdogan said Turkey has been providing all forms of assistance to establish peace and stability following the fall of the Assad government. Turkish ambassador Nuh Yilmaz said he hopes Erdogan may visit Damascus before the end of this year. Discussing Gaza, Erdogan accused Israel of failing to comply with ceasefire terms and said Hamas had fulfilled its commitments sincerely.

Erdogan also expressed deep concern over Israel's continuing attacks in Lebanon, saying he had discussed the issue with US President Donald Trump. He referred to the recently signed Mecca joint defence agreement involving Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, saying Egypt could join in the future. The three countries plan to expand political and military cooperation under the agreement.

Turkey has announced two new national marine parks in the Aegean Sea, drawing fresh attention to its longstanding dispute with Greece over maritime boundaries and rights. The parks were declared through two presidential decrees published in Turkey’s official gazette, according to a report published on August 17, 2026. One park is located in the southern Aegean between Fethiye in Mugla and Kas in Antalya, while the other is near the coasts of Tekirdag and Canakkale in the northern Aegean.

Turkey says the main purpose of the initiative is to protect the marine environment and biodiversity. However, the two neighbours have already disagreed over marine-park declarations in the Aegean. Last year, Greece announced plans for two parks around the Ionian Sea and the southern Cyclades islands. Turkey alleged that Greece was seeking to strengthen its position in disputed waters under the guise of environmental protection.

Greek media reports say Greece is also preparing to announce a new marine park in the southern Aegean, with legal proceedings underway and a possible finalization next October. Ankara says unilateral actions in areas with unresolved maritime boundaries could create new political and diplomatic tensions. It maintains that marine conservation should not undermine any country’s sovereign rights or regional stability.

Istanbul Airport has emerged as one of Europe’s strongest aviation hubs, according to a report published on August 17, 2026. Less than eight years after its official opening on October 29, 2018, the Turkish airport is competing with established major European airports in passenger traffic, cargo handling and technology. In July this year, 8.15 million passengers travelled through Istanbul Airport, exceeding Heathrow’s roughly 7.9 million passengers and making Istanbul Europe’s busiest airport for the month.

The report attributes the airport’s rapid rise to Turkey’s strategic location, Turkish Airlines’ broad international network and the scale of its infrastructure. Located at the junction of Europe, Asia and Africa, Istanbul is used as an international transit hub by large numbers of travellers. Turkish officials say that 1.5 billion people in 67 countries can be reached within a four-hour flight from Istanbul.

The airport has introduced a system, described as a European first, allowing three aircraft to use runways simultaneously for take-offs or landings. Cargo traffic rose 10.8 percent year on year to more than one million tonnes in the first six months, overtaking Frankfurt. A direct metro link is operating, while a fourth runway and annual capacity for 200 million passengers are planned.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey is moving toward resolving its longstanding terrorism problem through national unity, parliamentary support and the sacrifices of security forces. Speaking Friday in Ankara at the ruling Justice and Development Party, or AK Party’s, 25th anniversary event, he reaffirmed a commitment to building a “terrorism-free Turkey.”

Erdogan said terrorism has caused extensive damage to Turkey’s lives, resources, morale and potential for more than four decades. He said the government aims to fully resolve the issue on the basis of national consensus and build a terrorism-free Turkey and region for future generations.

He also said efforts would target what he described as “imperialist plans” to destabilize Turkey from within, alongside counterterrorism measures. At the anniversary event, the AK Party unveiled a new vision document for the next 25 years. Erdogan said Turkey would not only keep pace with global change but also help shape its direction and contribute to building a more just world.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan marked the 25th anniversary of the ruling Justice and Development Party, or AK Party, in Ankara on Friday, saying the party’s work is not finished. Addressing supporters at an anniversary event in the capital’s National Garden, he described the occasion as a very special and historic day and declared, “We have just begun.”

The AK Party was founded under Erdogan’s leadership on August 14, 2001, after he had served as Istanbul mayor. Erdogan said the party’s governments had carried out major investments and development projects in the economy, health, education and transport over the past 25 years. He also credited ordinary voters’ trust for the party’s long political success, saying the party used the responsibility and resources entrusted to it to strengthen and develop the country.

Erdogan said the party would not stop after a quarter-century in power and urged supporters not to expect it to become tired. He said the AK Party would work toward Turkey’s long-term goals for 2053 and 2071 and take a more active role in shaping the country’s future. At a meeting of the party’s founding board, Erdogan was unanimously elected party chairman.

Turkey said other countries could be considered for inclusion in the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement’s cooperation framework if the necessary consensus is reached. Rear Admiral Zeki Akturk, spokesperson for Turkey’s Defense Ministry, made the statement during a regular press briefing on Thursday regarding the agreement signed on August 7 by Turkey, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.

Turkey’s Defense Ministry said the agreement aims to make the three countries’ existing friendly relations more institutional and sustainable in defense and security. It is intended to strengthen their joint military capabilities and contribute to regional security and stability. The ministry said the cooperation could play an important role in improving the countries’ security as well as regional peace, stability and resilience.

The ministry said no country has been identified as a common enemy or adversary under the agreement. It also said the arrangement is not an alternative or rival to NATO. Instead, Turkey said the agreement would support the international security framework by contributing to regional security and stability.

US President Donald Trump secretly changed aircraft while returning from Turkey after a threat that Air Force One could be targeted with a shoulder-fired missile, the report said. On July 8, after a NATO summit visit in Ankara, Trump and several aides left the larger presidential aircraft in a catering vehicle and boarded a smaller, ordinary-looking C-32A government plane. Air Force One departed separately.

A source familiar with the matter said the threat emerged on the final day of Trump’s Ankara visit, amid heightened regional tensions linked to the ongoing US war involving Iran. The US Secret Service regarded the threat as credible and immediate, prompting a special security operation to conceal Trump’s location and movements. The New York Times reported that US officials were concerned Iranians had learned where Trump was staying, including his hotel floor.

Iranian state media and the Iranian embassy in South Africa’s X account circulated mocking memes after the operation became public. Tehran made no formal comment on the aircraft switch, while no immediate White House response was available. The report also said disagreements between the United States and Iran over a lasting end to the Gulf conflict remained unresolved.

Turkey has raised doubts over intelligence alleging an Iranian plot to kill US President Donald Trump during a NATO summit in Turkey last month. A report published on August 13, 2026 said some Turkish officials suspect Israeli intelligence may have shaped the information to derail possible US-Iranian diplomatic contacts or an eventual agreement. Israeli intelligence had reportedly warned Washington that Iranian operatives could target Trump’s Air Force One with shoulder-fired missiles.

Reports said special security measures were taken when Trump departed Turkey because of the alleged threat. Some Turkish officials, however, questioned how reliable the intelligence was. They believe the timing of the allegation could portray Iran as an immediate threat to the United States and create obstacles to renewed talks between Washington and Tehran.

Turkey is concerned that a possible US-Iran diplomatic settlement may not be comfortable for Israel, particularly if it creates new political conditions in the Middle East. No conclusive public evidence has been presented to support the Turkish suspicions, and Israel has made no public statement confirming them. US security officials reportedly treated the Iranian threat seriously, while media reports said changes were made to Trump’s travel route and aircraft arrangements.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Israel is trying to remove the Palestinian issue from international agendas by fuelling instability and new conflicts in the Middle East. Speaking at a joint news conference with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ankara on August 13, Erdogan said the effort would not succeed and that Turkey would continue to take a strong pro-Palestinian position across international platforms.

Erdogan said Israeli occupation, forced displacement and policies to seize Palestinian land had intensified in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem. Citing United Nations data, he said nearly 3,800 Palestinians had been displaced and about 100 killed so far in 2026 because of settler violence, evictions and demolitions of structures.

He reaffirmed Turkey's commitment to an independent, sovereign and territorially contiguous Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. Erdogan also opposed any attempt to alter the current status of holy sites, including Al-Aqsa Mosque. On Gaza, he called for security to be ensured and for reconstruction and rehabilitation to begin quickly. Abbas thanked Erdogan for Turkey's support for Palestinian rights and independence.

A Turkish Air Force F-16 crashed during a training flight in the northwestern province of Yalova, Turkey’s Defence Ministry said on Wednesday. The ministry attributed the crash to a mechanical malfunction. The pilot successfully ejected and left the aircraft by parachute, and was reported to be in good health.

The accident occurred during training at Yalova Airfield Command. The military aircraft crashed near the 18th Main Jet Base in the Taşköprü area of Çiftlikköy district, Yalova province. The F-16 was reported to belong to the Çelan Squadron of Turkey’s 1st Main Jet Base in Eskişehir.

Medical and fire service rescue teams were dispatched to the crash site after the pilot’s safe escape. The pilot was later rescued and admitted to Yalova Training and Research Hospital for treatment. The Defence Ministry said a detailed investigation had been launched to determine the cause of the accident.

US President Donald Trump faced a specific threat of an Iranian missile attack while attending a NATO summit in Turkey, according to a New York Times report cited by Amar Desh. The report, published on August 12, 2026, said US officials used an alternative plan to remove Trump from Turkey rather than returning him on Air Force One.

Two unnamed US officials said intelligence agencies gathered information from multiple sources and concluded that a threat against the presidential aircraft was credible. The reported risk involved a surface-to-air missile attack on Air Force One. The article also said a person carrying a shoulder-fired missile had been seen around the NATO summit.

US officials said Iranians knew where Trump was staying in Ankara, including the floor of the building. Trump appeared before cameras to board an older Air Force One, after saying he would use it for “old times’ sake,” but reportedly left concealed in an airport catering container and departed on a military aircraft. The report said two 2024 assassination attempts in Pennsylvania and Florida were unrelated to Iranian threats.