One gunman killed and two injured in shooting at Israeli consulate in Istanbul

One gunman killed and two injured in shooting at Israeli consulate in Istanbul

Shooting at Israeli Consulate in Istanbul Leaves One Attacker Dead, Two Injured

A shootout near the Israeli consulate in Istanbul resulted in one gunman being killed and two others wounded, according to Turkish Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci. The incident unfolded during daylight hours, with video footage shared online capturing the moment an armed attacker was shot by police and collapsed on the ground.

“Intensive digital communication has been detected among the three neutralised terrorists, and the interrogation of the injured terrorists continues,” the ministry stated in a post on X.

Ciftci revealed the attackers arrived in Istanbul from Izmit via a rented vehicle, with two of them identified as brothers. The ministry named the deceased gunman as Yunus E.S., linking him to a terrorist group that “exploits religion,” believed to be Islamic State. However, no organization has officially claimed responsibility for the attack.

Initially, police reported two attackers killed, but local governor Davut Gul later clarified only one was fatally shot. The two injured assailants, Onur Ç and Enes Ç, were also brothers. The ministry noted both police officers involved sustained minor injuries—one in the leg, another in the ear—and were not in critical condition.

Governor Gul described the attackers as using rifles and pistols during the assault. He added that no Israeli diplomatic staff were present at the consulate, which is situated in Istanbul’s Besiktas district. The building remained cordoned off for several hours, with unverified videos showing a heavy police presence and multiple vans surrounding the site.

Amid ongoing tensions between Turkey and Israel over the Gaza conflict, the consulate has been unoccupied for over two and a half years. The justice minister announced an investigation into the attack had been initiated.