Turkey accused Israel on Thursday of attempting to spread the war in Gaza to Lebanon with the “alarming” wave of deadly blasts that swept across Hezbollah strongholds.
“The escalation in the region is alarming,” Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told the state-run TRT television. “We see Israel mounting its attacks towards Lebanon step by step.”
According to the Lebanese health ministry, the bombs killed 32 people in two days, including two children, and injured over 3,000 more.
Israel has not responded to the extraordinary operation in which Hezbollah operatives’ walkie-talkies and pagers burst in stores, funerals, and on the streets.
However, in reference to Israel’s border with Lebanon, defense minister Yoav Gallant stated on Wednesday that “the centre of gravity is moving northward.”
Turkey blamed Israel for the explosions.
“We have come to a point where these operations carried out by Israel have become increasingly provocative, and in return, Iran, Hezbollah and elements close to them have no choice but respond,” Fidan told reporters.
Hezbollah is an ally of Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that has been at war in Gaza since its October 7 onslaught on Israel.
For nearly a year, Israel has focused its firepower on Gaza, which is ruled by Hamas.
However, its military have been fighting Hezbollah militants along its northern border almost every day, killing hundreds in Lebanon, the most of them were fighters, and dozens more in Israel.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called Lebanon’s Prime Minister Najib Mikati on Wednesday to express his condolences following the series of devastating blasts.
Erdogan is an outspoken critic of Israel’s offensive in Gaza.
