Istanbul Governor Davut Gül described the attack as “a move that smells of provocation.”
Three gunmen were involved in a shootout with police near the Israeli consulate in Istanbul on Tuesday, leaving one attacker dead and two wounded and in custody, Turkish authorities said.
One of the attackers had links to an “organization that exploits religion,” said Turkish Minister of the Interior Mustafa Çiftçi in a statement. He later specified that the three “terrorists” had been “neutralized” during the clash with the police, with one suspect being killed while the other two — identified as brothers — were captured and wounded. The three men had traveled to Istanbul from nearby Izmit in a rental vehicle.
The case drew swift international condemnation. U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack took to X, saying Washington “condemns in the strongest terms” the assault, comparing attacks on diplomatic missions to “an attack on the international order” and praising Turkish security forces for their response.
Istanbul Governor Davut Gül described the incident as “a move that smells of provocation,” noting that the Israeli mission has had no active diplomatic presence in the city following the war in Gaza.
“There has been no activity at the consulate for 2.5 years,” he said, adding that investigators are examining possible connections and motives.
The attack unfolded in the Beşiktaş district outside the Yapı Kredi Plaza complex, where security forces were stationed on duty near the consulate at the time. Two police officers also reported minor injuries, according to the interior ministry.
Turkey’s Minister of Justice Akın Gürlek said three prosecutors have been assigned to lead an investigation into the attacks.