Turkey Threatens Military Action Against Israel in Support of Palestinians

In a recent escalation of rhetoric, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has threatened to deploy troops into Israel to intervene on behalf of the Palestinians. Speaking at a meeting of his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) in Rize, Erdoğan asserted, “Turkey must be very strong so that Israel can't do these ridiculous things to Palestine.”

Erdoğan's statement drew a parallel with Turkey’s previous military actions, including its interventions in Nagorno-Karabakh and Libya. “Just like we entered Karabakh, just like we entered Libya, we will do [something] similar exactly to them,” he declared, suggesting a potential military action similar to those past operations.

Here is what you need to know

Turkey, a key NATO member with the alliance's second-largest military, has a history of significant regional interventions. These include its support for Azerbaijan during the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War and ongoing troop deployments in Libya since 2020.

In response to Erdoğan’s comments, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz took to social media to denounce the threat. Katz compared Erdoğan to former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, stating, “Erdoğan follows in the footsteps of Saddam Hussein and threatens to attack Israel. Just let him remember what happened there and how it ended.”

The threat from Turkey raises concerns about the potential for a broader regional conflict as tensions continue to mount in the area. Tensions between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon are already mounting.