Turkiye says Israel using security as a pretext to acquire 'more land'

Turkiye’s top diplomat on Saturday (April 18, 2026) accused Israel of creating an international “illusion” and using security concerns as a pretext to seize “more land,” in the latest flare-up in escalating tensions between the two regional powers.

Israel and Turkiye have been trading nearly daily diplomatic barbs over a range of regional conflicts, from Israel’s war in Gaza to rising tensions linked to Iran.