Erdogan warns of regional conflict amid Israel’s attacks on Lebanon

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned Sunday that Israel’s latest military actions against Lebanon risk escalating the conflict across the broader region.

“The recent attacks against Lebanon and the recent statements made by Israel are a clear manifestation of the efforts to spread the war to the region,” Erdogan said during an event organized by the Turkish-American National Steering Committee (TASC) in New York.

Erdogan’s remarks come as tensions in the Middle East have intensified following Israel’s strikes on Lebanese territory. Israeli Diaspora Minister Amichai Chikli’s comments on Sunday further solidified the potential war goal justification on Lebanon.

The Turkish leader, who arrived in the U.S. on Saturday ahead of his address to the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly, expressed growing concern over the conflict’s impact on regional stability.

In addition to criticizing Israel’s actions in Lebanon, Erdogan condemned what he described as a “genocide” carried out by Israel against Palestinians, particularly in Gaza.

“The genocide that Israel is carrying out on Palestinian lands, especially in the Gaza Strip, also threatens peace in the region,” Erdogan said, adding that international bodies have failed to take meaningful action to address the violence.

“Global institutions and organizations have taken no effective steps to end the oppression in Gaza or prevent Israel’s massacre,” he noted.

Erdogan’s comments come as world leaders prepare to gather at the United Nations, where the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict is expected to be a focal point of discussions. The Turkish president has consistently voiced support for Palestinian rights and has often criticized Israel’s military operations in the region.