Turkiye stands with Lebanon as tensions rise with Israel, says Erdogan

Turkiye is standing in solidarity with Lebanon amid growing tensions with Israel, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday. He also called on regional countries to support Lebanon, Reuters has reported.

Cross-border strains between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon have been escalating in recent weeks, stoking fears of an all-out war. Shelling across the Lebanon-Israel border has led to the evacuation of tens of thousands of people from areas on both sides.

In a speech to his AK Party lawmakers in parliament, Erdogan said that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu planned to spread the Gaza war across the region.

“It seems that Israel has now turned its eyes on Lebanon after destroying and burning Gaza,” said the Turkish leader. “We see Western countries giving Israel support behind the scenes. Netanyahu’s plans to spread the war to the region will lead to a big catastrophe.” Western support for Israel, he added, is “pitiful”.

Erdogan’s office said late on Wednesday that the president spoke by phone with Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati and repeated the message that Turkiye stands by Lebanon “against Israel’s aggressive policies.” Israeli “aggression” must be stopped as soon as possible, he was quoted as saying.

Earlier this week, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said that the Turkish government saw a risk of the conflict spreading while commenting on the tensions between Israel and Hezbollah. When asked about Hezbollah’s threat to Cyprus, the EU member state in closest proximity to Lebanon, Fidan called on Cyprus government to “stay away” from the conflict.

Turkiye had intelligence reports that showed Cyprus had become a base for “certain countries'” military and reconnaissance flights over Gaza, Fidan told Haberturk television.

Cyprus, however, has said that it is “in no way involved” in the conflict. It has lobbied its EU partners to offer Lebanon financial assistance, and recently set up a maritime corridor for humanitarian aid to get to Gaza.

 Cyprus: We will not allow attacks on Lebanon to be launched from our territory