In an extensive interview with the Turkish newspaper “Posta“, published today, Turkish Defense Minister Yaşar Güler commented on the development of the situation in the Middle East after the Israeli-American attack on Iran last Saturday, as well as the likelihood of Turkey directly confronting Israel amid the build-up of tension between the two countries over the situation in the Gaza Strip, BTA reported.
When asked about the current situation in the Middle East, Güler noted that “air and missile threats, the security of maritime trade routes, the security of energy supplies, cyber threats and proxy elements create multi-layered risks that make the security balance from the Middle East to the Eastern Mediterranean increasingly fragile“.
On Turkey is monitoring developments with restraint and prioritizing preventing the spread of the conflict, he said. Guler also warned that destabilization of the region could lead to an increase in illegal migration and international smuggling activities.
“The basic principle of our armed forces is clear: we are always ready to neutralize any threat that may be directed at Turkey, in a timely manner and at the source from which it originated“, Guler added, emphasizing that the Turkish military is constantly carrying out activities related to planning and preparation against all possible threats.
Guler's comments come just days after the Turkish Defense Ministry announced the interception of an Iranian ballistic missile that had headed for Turkish airspace after flying over Iraqi and Syrian airspace. In their statement on the incident, Turkish authorities did not indicate whether the missile was fired towards Turkey or deviated from its trajectory.
Asked about the risk of a direct military confrontation between Turkey and Israel, Guler stated that such a possibility exists, but according to him, at the moment the probability of such a development is “very small”.
“We expressed our humanitarian and moral reaction to the massacre that is taking place before the eyes of the whole world in Gaza. "We do not approve of the Netanyahu administration's attacks on neighboring countries and believe that these attacks will harm peace and stability in our region," Guler said in the interview, emphasizing that the growing tensions in the Middle East and the Mediterranean have significantly affected Turkey-Israel relations in recent years, noting disagreements over the future of Syria, disputes over maritime jurisdiction and regional alliances as the main reasons for the build-up of tension.
“Overall, although there is a risk of direct military conflict, we see this possibility as very small for now. In order to prevent possible undesirable situations, channels of contact and coordination are maintained between our respective institutions, as necessary, aimed at reducing misunderstandings and the risk of accidental conflicts on the ground,“ Guler also commented.