Turkey criticized Israel's latest attacks on Lebanon, calling them "efforts to throw the region into chaos" on Monday, and called for international measures against them, as well as for the suspension of support for Israel, Reuters reported, quoted by BTA.
In some of the worst cross-border firefights since the start of the nearly year-long war against the Palestinian militant group "Hamas" in Gaza, Israel turned its focus north to the Iranian-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah, which fires rockets at Israel in support of Hamas, also backed by Iran, the agency noted.
Lebanese authorities announced that Israeli airstrikes against targets of "Hezbollah" across the country killed 492 people on Monday and forced tens of thousands to flee for safety in the country's deadliest day in decades.
In a statement released late Monday, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said countries that "unconditionally support Israel" are helping Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "shed blood for his political interests.
„It is imperative that all institutions responsible for maintaining international peace and security, especially the UN Security Council, as well as the international community, immediately take the necessary measures,”, the message says.
NATO member Turkey has condemned Israel's military campaign in Gaza, launched in retaliation for a cross-border attack by "Hamas" on October 7. Ankara also suspended all trade with Israel and applied to join a genocide case against Israel at the World Court.
On Monday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with the leaders of Greece, Germany, Iran and Kuwait, as well as the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) at the UN General Assembly in New York, the Turkish presidency announced. Erdogan discussed the war in Gaza during the meetings.
Erdogan told Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian that steps towards peace should be taken in response to Israel's hostility, his office said. Additionally, the Turkish leader told ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan that Israel must be held accountable and that the ongoing genocide case against Israel at the International Criminal Court must be closed.
He told Khan that Netanyahu's government “does not hesitate to trample international law and human rights” and that Israel is acting under the illusion that there is no force to stop it, the message also says.