Armed attack on Israeli consulate in Istanbul

On Tuesday, three assailants armed with rifles initiated a gunfight with police outside the Israeli consulate in the Levent business district of Istanbul. The consulate building has been closed for approximately two and a half years, and no diplomats were present at the time of the incident. Interior Minister Mustafa Cifti reported that the attackers arrived from Izmit in a rented vehicle. Authorities confirmed that all three assailants were neutralized, with one killed and two others wounded and in custody. The two wounded attackers are brothers, one of whom has a prior criminal record related to drug offenses; officials also noted links to a religious organization. Two police officers sustained minor injuries during the confrontation, which prompted a swift security lockdown and a formal investigation by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. Israel’s Foreign Ministry and the U.S. Ambassador to Turkey condemned the attack and commended the Turkish security forces for their response. Istanbul Governor Davut Gul described the incident as a potential provocation while investigations into the suspects' motives continue.