Israel Advises Its Citizens to Leave Turkey

Israel Advises Its Citizens to Leave Turkey as Soon as Possible Due to The Fear of an attack by Iran.

Yair Lapid, Israel’s foreign minister, advised its citizens to leave Istanbul “as quickly as possible” due to fears that Iranian agents are plotting assaults on Israelis in Turkey.

“It’s a genuine and present risk,” Lapid told a gathering of lawmakers from his Yesh Atid party, noting “many Iranian efforts to carry out terror acts against Israelis on vacation in Istanbul.”

“Return to Israel as quickly as possible if you are currently in Turkey,” Lapid said. “If you have a trip to Istanbul booked, you should cancel it.” He went on to say that “no holiday is worth your life.”

“Do not travel to Turkey at all,” the foreign minister urged unless it is “necessary.”

Iran and Israel are bitter enemies, with Tehran accusing Israel of a series of killings aimed at senior Iranian nuclear and military officials.

Iran recently alleged that Israel was to blame for the assassination of Revolutionary Guards Col Sayyad Khodai, who was shot dead outside his residence in Tehran on May 22.

There was no mention of any claimed Israeli activities inside Iran by Lapid.

However, he said that several Israelis who had lately visited Turkey had returned “without realising their lives had been spared.”

According to Lapid, the suspected assailants were targeting Israeli nationals “in order to abduct or kill them.”

Israel’s national television Kan reported earlier Monday on Iranian plots to abduct Israelis in Turkey a month ago, which were stopped when Israel notified Ankara of the threat.

Without going into detail, Lapid commended the Turkish government “for the effort they’re making into preserving the lives of Israeli residents.”