Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Thursday accused Israel of using the Druze minority in Syria as a pretext to expand its presence in the war-ravaged country.
In a nationally televised speech, Erdoğan declared:
“Israel, by citing the Druze as justification, is expanding its banditry across Syrian neighborhoods in the past two days.”
He strongly condemned Israel, stating:
“Let me make this absolutely clear and direct—Israel is an unlawful and unethical state.”
Erdoğan warned that Israel’s aggression is the greatest threat to the region, adding that unless it is stopped immediately,
“it will not hesitate to set our region—and eventually the world—on fire.”
His remarks come amid intense violence in Syria’s southern province of Sweida, home to the Druze community. Deadly clashes have erupted between Druze fighters, Sunni Bedouin tribes, and the Syrian army with its allied militias. Hundreds have reportedly been killed.
Israel, meanwhile, has conducted multiple airstrikes targeting Syrian government forces in southern Syria and even struck a military headquarters in Damascus. Israeli officials have vowed to continue such operations until Syrian forces withdraw from the area.
The United States, Israel’s key ally, has announced a ceasefire agreement to de-escalate the tensions in the region.
Erdoğan also revealed that he spoke with Syria’s interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa following the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Sweida.
