Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan criticized Western powers on Wednesday, accusing them of supporting “Israeli” plans to escalate military actions against Lebanon.

 

Addressing lawmakers from his ruling AKP party, Erdogan asserted, "Israel is now setting its sights on Lebanon and we see that Western powers behind the scenes are patting Israel on the back and even supporting them."

 

Additionally, Erdogan condemned Netanyahu's plans as potentially disastrous.

 

"It is ... pathetic that states that talk about freedom, human rights, and justice are captives of a mentally-ill person like Netanyahu," Erdogan remarked.

 

Netanyahu, in response to the Gaza conflict, announced that “Israeli” forces are transitioning from the intense phase of the war and preparing to redeploy along the northern border, citing defensive measures.

 

Last week, “Israel” disclosed that plans for a potential offensive in Lebanon had been "approved and validated," further escalating tensions.

 

Erdogan's remarks coincided with Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan's warning to Greece and Cyprus about involvement in the Middle East conflict.

 

Fidan highlighted "serious militarization in southern Cyprus" and alleged it served as a base for intelligence and military activities towards Gaza, prompting Turkey to caution against entanglement in regional conflicts.

 

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah also issued a stern warning to Cyprus, cautioning against any cooperation with “Israel” targeting Lebanon, emphasizing retaliatory consequences.

 

In response, the Cypriot government swiftly denied any involvement in “Israel's” actions in Gaza, affirming its commitment to avoiding military engagements.