Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Thursday said the Middle East conflict has pushed regional tensions to what he called a “terrifying level,” warning that the violence could spread beyond Iran and Israel.
“With the air strikes against our neighbor Iran, regional tensions have reached a terrifying level,” Erdoğan said in a televised speech. “The missiles and kamikaze drones directed by Iran against other countries in the region raise fears of the conflict spreading to a much wider area.”
The confrontation began on February 28, when the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran, targeting military and nuclear-linked sites and senior figures. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in the opening wave of attacks, a development that added uncertainty over decision-making inside Iran.
Iran has retaliated with missile and drone attacks on Israel and on US-linked targets in the Gulf, expanding the scope of the fighting and raising concerns about energy security and transport routes. Analysts and intelligence sources have warned that Iran could attempt sustained disruption around the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping lane for global oil flows, even if a full closure is not confirmed.
The World Health Organization said it has verified attacks on health facilities in Iran during the campaign and reported large-scale displacement linked to the strikes and the broader regional escalation.
With reporting by Agence France-Presse