Why Erdogan And Netanyahu Are Trading Barbs Over Israel's Actions In Syria And Lebanon

Last Updated:June 10, 2026, 19:06 IST

Erdogan said Israel’s “attacks” on Syria and Lebanon were no longer a local issue and added it "threatens Turkey" as well.

A fresh war of words has erupted between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after Ankara stepped up its criticism of Israel’s military actions in Syria and Lebanon.

Netanyahu swiftly fired back, rejecting the criticism and saying there was “no need" for Israel to be lectured on morality by Erdogan. He accused the Turkish leader of hypocrisy and defended Israel’s ongoing military operations.

Erdogan warns of wider threat

Speaking in parliament on Wednesday to lawmakers from his ruling AK Party, Erdogan said Israel’s “attacks" on Syria and Lebanon were no longer a local issue. He claimed the actions had grown into a wider threat that could affect Turkey directly.

“The attacks by (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu and his network of murder on Lebanon and Syria have brought the issue to a point where it also threatens Turkey," he said.

Erdogan added that Turkey’s security was closely linked with stability in both countries, and warned that Israel’s “aggression" posed a danger not just to the region but to the world.

The Turkish president, a NATO member leader, has been one of the most outspoken critics of Israel’s military campaigns in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran.

Ankara has already halted all trade with Israel and has pushed for international legal action against its leadership.

Erdogan also urged global powers to take a firmer stance, saying Israel had been emboldened by what he called the “silence of the international community".

Netanyahu fires back 

Netanyahu responded strongly in a statement shared by his office on social media platform X, rejecting Erdogan’s criticism and launching personal attacks against the Turkish leader.

He called Erdogan an “antisemitic dictator" and accused him of supporting Hamas and suppressing political opposition at home, adding Israel would not accept moral lectures from Ankara.

“The antisemitic dictator Erdoğan – who is committing genocide against the Kurds, supports the Hamas terrorist organization, oppresses his own people and imprisons political rivals – is the last person who can lecture the State of Israel on morality," the Israeli PM said.

“The State of Israel and the IDF, the most moral army in the world, will continue to take forceful action against Iran and its proxies, which threaten the Middle East and the entire world," the statement added.

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