According to officials and eyewitness accounts, police stationed at a permanent checkpoint responded after gunmen opened fire near parked security and police vehicles. Officers took cover and returned fire as the situation escalated rapidly in the heart of the city’s business hub. Video footage from the scene showed an armed individual carrying a backpack and moving between vehicles while firing both an automatic rifle and a handgun. One person was seen lying motionless on the street, while another appeared injured.
Authorities confirmed that no Israeli diplomatic staff were present inside the consulate at the time of the attack. The office occupies a floor within the tower, and security measures in the surrounding area have remained heightened since late 2023. Istanbul Governor Davut Gul reported that two police officers sustained minor injuries during the confrontation.
Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci said the attackers had connections to an organization that “exploits religion,” though he did not identify the group. He added that two of the suspects were brothers who had traveled from the nearby city of Izmit in a rented vehicle. While Turkish officials have not publicly confirmed a motive, the U.S. ambassador to Turkey, Tom Barrack, described the incident as an हमला targeting the Israeli consulate and condemned the violence.
The incident comes amid strained relations between Turkey and Israel following the Gaza conflict that began in late 2023. Israeli diplomats had already departed the consulate due to security concerns, including protests across Turkey. Diplomatic ties between the two countries have remained effectively frozen since Turkey recalled its ambassador in November 2023.
Although militant violence in Turkey has declined significantly since a surge of attacks between 2015 and 2016, security forces remain vigilant. A separate gunfight in northwest Turkey late last year resulted in multiple fatalities during operations against suspected militant cells, underscoring ongoing concerns about sporadic extremist activity.
