Speaking during a live broadcast on Thursday, Fidan emphasized the need for Türkiye and the region to be prepared for such a conflict, although Ankara is working tirelessly to prevent the war from spreading further across the region.

Fidan stated that Iran is entitled to self-defense in the face of attacks. Addressing reports about the assassination of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, he said they are waiting for an official statement from the Palestinian resistance group.

The Turkish Foreign Minister noted that Ankara had anticipated Israel's attempts to eliminate Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis, and that Israel's attacks on Lebanon were not unexpected. He expressed concern about Israel's potential to open new fronts across the region since October 7.

"Right now, we're facing intertwined events... a genocide is taking place in Gaza, while there's also Lebanon and there's also the possibility of war with Iran," Fidan said, highlighting the complex dynamics of these conflicts. He mentioned that some countries had pre-existing issues with Iran and its proxies before the Gaza war, complicating the situation further.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi is scheduled to visit Türkiye, Jordan, and Egypt this week to discuss ways to halt Israel's war on the Gaza Strip. The developments come as Israel's brutal war on Gaza, targeting the Palestinian civilians, has continued for over a year and has recently expanded to include Lebanon.

In early October, Tehran launched around 200 missiles at Israel in retaliation for the killings of key figures, including Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, and an Iranian general.

Turkey, a fierce critic of Israel's military operations in Gaza, which it and others describe as genocide, remains on high alert for a potential regional spillover. Israel's continued strikes on Lebanon and possible confrontation with Iran have heightened the urgency for diplomatic efforts to contain the conflict. (ILKHA)