02:06Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan blamed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his 'bloodthirsty' government for the 'tension' of April 13 - the night Iran launched an attack on Israel - during a speech in Ankara on Tuesday.
"This is an indisputable fact: Netanyahu and his bloodthirsty administration are primarily responsible for the tension that brought our hearts to our mouths on the night of April 13," Erdogan said.
"Those who have been silent about Israel's aggressive attitude for months immediately started a race to condemn Iran's response. However, it is Netanyahu himself who should be condemned and cursed first," he added.
Erdogan continued that it would be 'unfair' to see the Iran's unprecedented action in isolation without taking into consideration that the Israeli government had been 'taking provocative steps to spread fire in the region' since Hamas' surprise attack on Israel on October 7 - with the bombing of Tehran's consulate in Syria being 'the last straw'.
"Making an assessment based only on the night of April 13 would not be a fair, just and principled attitude. Since October 7, the Israeli government has been taking provocative steps to spread the fire in the region. Israel's targeting of the Iranian Embassy in Damascus, in violation of international law and the Vienna Convention, was the final straw," the Turkish leader stated.
The Turkish president's comments come after Iran launched hundreds of drones and missiles towards Israel on Saturday night in Tehran's first direct attack on the Jewish state, signalling a major escalation of tensions in the region.
The attack came as a response to the alleged Israeli airstrike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus on April 1, which killed at least seven members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard (IRGC), including a senior Quds Force commander. Israel did not claim responsibility for that attack.
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) claimed Iran had launched '300 threats of various types' towards Israel, adding that '99%' of the rockets and drones had been intercepted. At the same time, defence minister Yoav Gallant reported that 'very little damage was caused' due to the attack.
IRGC Chief of Staff Mohammad Bagheri has warned that Tehran would launch a 'much bigger' offensive if Israel were to target Iranian soil in response to Saturday’s attack.
US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin said Washington had intercepted 'dozens of missiles and UAVs' before they had entered Israeli airspace. President Joe Biden reiterated his 'ironclad' support for the Jewish state and said he will convene a G7 meeting on Sunday.
Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged both sides to exercise restraint and said he was 'deeply alarmed', warning of a 'very real danger' of a 'major military confrontation' on multiple fronts in the Middle East.
Netanyahu, Israel's 'bloodthirsty' govt 'primarily responsible' for April 13 - Erdogan
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan blamed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his 'bloodthirsty' government for the 'tension' of April 13 - the night Iran launched an attack on Israel - during a speech in Ankara on Tuesday.
"This is an indisputable fact: Netanyahu and his bloodthirsty administration are primarily responsible for the tension that brought our hearts to our mouths on the night of April 13," Erdogan said.
"Those who have been silent about Israel's aggressive attitude for months immediately started a race to condemn Iran's response. However, it is Netanyahu himself who should be condemned and cursed first," he added.
Erdogan continued that it would be 'unfair' to see the Iran's unprecedented action in isolation without taking into consideration that the Israeli government had been 'taking provocative steps to spread fire in the region' since Hamas' surprise attack on Israel on October 7 - with the bombing of Tehran's consulate in Syria being 'the last straw'.
"Making an assessment based only on the night of April 13 would not be a fair, just and principled attitude. Since October 7, the Israeli government has been taking provocative steps to spread the fire in the region. Israel's targeting of the Iranian Embassy in Damascus, in violation of international law and the Vienna Convention, was the final straw," the Turkish leader stated.
The Turkish president's comments come after Iran launched hundreds of drones and missiles towards Israel on Saturday night in Tehran's first direct attack on the Jewish state, signalling a major escalation of tensions in the region.
The attack came as a response to the alleged Israeli airstrike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus on April 1, which killed at least seven members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard (IRGC), including a senior Quds Force commander. Israel did not claim responsibility for that attack.
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) claimed Iran had launched '300 threats of various types' towards Israel, adding that '99%' of the rockets and drones had been intercepted. At the same time, defence minister Yoav Gallant reported that 'very little damage was caused' due to the attack.
IRGC Chief of Staff Mohammad Bagheri has warned that Tehran would launch a 'much bigger' offensive if Israel were to target Iranian soil in response to Saturday’s attack.
US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin said Washington had intercepted 'dozens of missiles and UAVs' before they had entered Israeli airspace. President Joe Biden reiterated his 'ironclad' support for the Jewish state and said he will convene a G7 meeting on Sunday.
Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged both sides to exercise restraint and said he was 'deeply alarmed', warning of a 'very real danger' of a 'major military confrontation' on multiple fronts in the Middle East.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan blamed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his 'bloodthirsty' government for the 'tension' of April 13 - the night Iran launched an attack on Israel - during a speech in Ankara on Tuesday.
"This is an indisputable fact: Netanyahu and his bloodthirsty administration are primarily responsible for the tension that brought our hearts to our mouths on the night of April 13," Erdogan said.
"Those who have been silent about Israel's aggressive attitude for months immediately started a race to condemn Iran's response. However, it is Netanyahu himself who should be condemned and cursed first," he added.
Erdogan continued that it would be 'unfair' to see the Iran's unprecedented action in isolation without taking into consideration that the Israeli government had been 'taking provocative steps to spread fire in the region' since Hamas' surprise attack on Israel on October 7 - with the bombing of Tehran's consulate in Syria being 'the last straw'.
"Making an assessment based only on the night of April 13 would not be a fair, just and principled attitude. Since October 7, the Israeli government has been taking provocative steps to spread the fire in the region. Israel's targeting of the Iranian Embassy in Damascus, in violation of international law and the Vienna Convention, was the final straw," the Turkish leader stated.
The Turkish president's comments come after Iran launched hundreds of drones and missiles towards Israel on Saturday night in Tehran's first direct attack on the Jewish state, signalling a major escalation of tensions in the region.
The attack came as a response to the alleged Israeli airstrike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus on April 1, which killed at least seven members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard (IRGC), including a senior Quds Force commander. Israel did not claim responsibility for that attack.
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) claimed Iran had launched '300 threats of various types' towards Israel, adding that '99%' of the rockets and drones had been intercepted. At the same time, defence minister Yoav Gallant reported that 'very little damage was caused' due to the attack.
IRGC Chief of Staff Mohammad Bagheri has warned that Tehran would launch a 'much bigger' offensive if Israel were to target Iranian soil in response to Saturday’s attack.
US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin said Washington had intercepted 'dozens of missiles and UAVs' before they had entered Israeli airspace. President Joe Biden reiterated his 'ironclad' support for the Jewish state and said he will convene a G7 meeting on Sunday.
Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged both sides to exercise restraint and said he was 'deeply alarmed', warning of a 'very real danger' of a 'major military confrontation' on multiple fronts in the Middle East.