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A sharp diplomatic clash erupted between Israel and Turkey over the weekend after Ankara condemned an Israeli airstrike in Beirut’s Dahieh district, a Hezbollah stronghold, which came in response to rocket fire toward the northern city of Kiryat Shmona.
Turkey’s Foreign Ministry issued a strong rebuke, accusing Israel of violating the ceasefire agreement with Lebanon. "We condemn Israel’s airstrikes against Lebanon in violation of the ceasefire agreement. We stand firmly by the people of Lebanon," the statement read.
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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
(Photo: REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas, Andrew Harnik / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / AFP, Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
Ankara added that the attacks "exposed Israel’s flagrant disregard for international law and its ongoing threat to the region's security and stability," calling on the international community to unite against what it described as Israel’s efforts to fuel perpetual conflict.
In response, Israel’s Foreign Ministry issued a scathing statement condemning Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, accusing him of hypocrisy. "While violently suppressing his own citizens and carrying out mass arrests of political opponents, Erdoğan presumes to preach lofty values to the international community," the statement said.
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"In Erdoğan’s Turkey, there is no justice, no law, and no freedom. Israel does not need Erdoğan’s ridiculous moral sermons. Israel acts to defend itself and its citizens against real threats and actual attacks — and it will continue to do so."
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IDF strikes Hezbollah drone storage facility in Beirut't Dahieh district in response to rocket fire toward northern Israel
(Video: Reuters)
The Turkish condemnation came a day after the IDF struck a building in Beirut’s Dahieh suburb. According to the IDF, the target was a drone storage facility operated by Hezbollah’s Unit 127, responsible for aerial operations. Prior to the strike, Arabic-language IDF spokesperson Lt. Col. Avichay Adraee issued a warning for residents to evacuate the building and its surroundings, prompting panic in the area.
Footage shared after the attack showed the dramatic collapse of the building as the missiles struck in sequence.