Turkey warns it could be Israel's 'next enemy' as tensions escalate

Turkey warns it could be Israel's 'next enemy' as tensions escalate

From International report by RFI English

April 18, 2026 · 6 min

About this episode

Turkey's foreign minister warns that Turkey could become Israel's next enemy amid escalating tensions.

Turkey's foreign minister has warned it could be Israel’s "next enemy" as the war with Iran appears headed for closure, and called for a Middle East security pact amid rising tensions between the two countries. "After Iran, Israel cannot live without an enemy – it has to develop a rhetoric to shape public opinion," declared Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in a television interview on Monday. "We see that not only Netanyahu’s administration, but also some figures in the opposition – though not all – are seeking to declare Turkey the new enemy." Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has become one of the region’s most vocal critics of Israel’s military campaigns in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran, fuelling a surge in bilateral tensions. In response, Israel accuses Erdogan of backing terrorist organisations, including Hamas , whom Erdogan has called “liberation fighters". Diplomatic ties have withered, leaving only a skeleton crew in each respective embassy. Iraq turns to Turkey for oil exports as Middle East war reshapes routes Turkish-Israeli relations have a history of highs and lows, but current tensions are unprecedented, argues Turkish security analyst Arda Mevlutoglu. " Turkey…

People in this episode

Guest: Hakan Fidan

Topics covered

  • Turkey
  • Israel
  • Middle East
  • diplomacy
  • tensions

Keywords

  • Iran
  • Erdogan
  • Hamas
  • bilateral relations

Mentioned in this episode

Places: Turkey, Israel, Iran, Middle East, Gaza, Lebanon, Iraq, Ankara, Baku, Azerbaijan

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