An Israeli channel published details of Israeli security officials' intervention to urgently evacuate a number of people from Turkey, claiming that there was an imminent danger from "Iranian killers", coinciding with the Israeli National Security Council raising its warning about traveling to Istanbul to the highest level for fear of alleged Iranian threats.
According to what was broadcast by Israeli Channel 13, a number of Israelis were forced to leave Turkey last week due to these security concerns.
On Monday, the channel reported that a high-ranking Israeli official called a woman who was visiting a market and asked her not to return to her hotel because "Iranian killers" were waiting for her and her husband there.
The channel added that a group of about 10 Israeli security officials escorted the couple to the airport immediately and then to Israel, where they were interrogated in search of information about this alleged targeting.
It was not clear, according to this Israeli account, whether the couple were targeted for a specific reason or simply because they were Israelis, and it was not clear how many Israelis the security officials contacted to direct them to leave Turkey immediately.
The Israeli army also prevented 5 athletes serving in its ranks from traveling to Turkey to participate in the European swords fencing championship.
Meanwhile, the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth said that Turkish intelligence had recently arrested Iranians who were planning to target Israeli tourists in Turkey with a shooting and kidnapping operation, but the Turkish authorities did not comment on these allegations.
For its part, the Israeli National Security Council announced yesterday, Monday, that it had raised its travel warning to Istanbul to the highest level.
"Given the continuing nature of the threat, and in light of Iran's increasing intentions to attack Israelis in Turkey, particularly Istanbul, the National Security Council has raised the travel advisory for Istanbul to the highest level: Level Four," the council said in a statement.
This came after statements by Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, in which he called on the Israelis not to travel to Turkey at all unless the trip was necessary, and called on those there to return as soon as possible.
Lapid warned Tehran, "Our message to Iran is that the upper arm of Israel will reach those who harm our citizens, regardless of where they are."
The tone of the mutual threats between Israel and Iran in recent weeks has risen after the assassination of Hassan Sayyad Khadayi, an officer in the Quds Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards in Tehran on May 22, in which Tehran accused Tel Aviv of being behind it, and after an Israeli bombing of Damascus International Airport last Friday. .
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said on Monday that Tehran's response to Israel's actions would be in place, not in a third country.
Khatibzadeh added - during a press conference - that Israel should realize that Tehran will not tolerate any party regarding its security in the region.