Erdogan says attacks on Syria, Lebanon threaten Turkish security
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Wednesday said that Turkey’s security extends beyond its borders, declaring that it begins in Aleppo, Damascus, and Beirut rather than in Turkey’s southern province of Hatay.
Speaking before the ruling Justice and Development Party in parliament, Erdogan said Turkey would not allow any “fait accompli” to be imposed in neighboring countries and would not ignore attacks targeting them.
“Türkiye’s security begins not in Hatay, but in Aleppo, Damascus and Beirut,” Erdogan said.
The Turkish president also described the planned participation of U.S. President Donald Trump in the upcoming North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit in Ankara as “a valuable step” that would strengthen alliance cohesion and unity. He noted that Turkey has intensified preparations to make the summit a landmark event in NATO’s history.
Addressing regional developments, Erdogan said Ankara understands what he described as the “delusion of the Promised Land,” stressing that Turkey would not allow such plans to succeed.
“No one should seek adventure. No one should follow in the wake of the Zionist massacre network.”
Erdogan further argued that Israeli military operations in Syria and Lebanon have reached a stage that poses a threat to Turkey’s own security, emphasizing that Ankara would not remain indifferent to attacks on either country due to their importance to regional stability and Turkish national security.
Turning to the Eastern Mediterranean, the Turkish president warned that any violation of the rights of Turkey and Turkish Cypriots in the region would be met with a “very clear and very harsh response.”
At the same time, Erdogan said that stopping Israel is a shared humanitarian responsibility, adding that preventing the repetition of historical tragedies is a duty that falls on the international community as a whole.