A shootout occurred in broad daylight near the Israeli consulate in Istanbul's Besiktas district, resulting in one gunman killed and two police officers slightly injured. Turkish Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci stated that the injured officers were not in life-threatening condition, with one shot in the leg and the other in the ear.
The attackers had traveled to Istanbul from the city of Izmit by rental car, and two of them were brothers. In a statement on X, the interior ministry named the killed gunman as Yunus E.S., who it said was "connected to the terrorist organisation that exploits religion," understood to be a reference to the Islamic State group, though no group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called the incident a "heinous act of terror" and a "timed provocation," asserting, "We will not allow the climate of trust in Turkey to be damaged by such vile actions." Governor Davut Gul clarified that initial reports of two attackers killed were incorrect, with only one confirmed dead.
The two injured attackers were identified as Onur Ç and Enes Ç, confirmed to be brothers. The interior ministry added that "intensive digital communication" had been detected among the three "neutralised terrorists," and interrogation of the injured attackers continues. Governor Gul told reporters the assailants used rifles and pistols and noted that no Israeli diplomatic personnel were present at the consulate.
A witness at the scene quoted by Reuters described gunfire sounds as "loud" and lasting "for 15-20 minutes." Unverified videos online showed multiple police vans and a heavy police presence around the building, which was cordoned off for hours after the attempted attack. Israeli diplomats are not currently stationed in Turkey, and the consulate has been empty for the past two-and-a-half years amid deteriorating relations between Ankara and Tel Aviv over the war in Gaza. The justice minister announced an investigation into the attack has been launched.
Source: www.bbc.com