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President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned the armed attack near the Israeli Consulate General in Istanbul's Besiktas district on Tuesday as a "cowardly" and "timed provocation" aimed at undermining Ankara's security climate, confirming that one attacker was killed, two were wounded, and two police officers sustained light injuries in the incident.
Erdogan addressed the incident during a speech at the Turkish defense giant Roketsan's Production Facilities Opening, Serial Production Deliveries, and Foundation Laying Ceremony in Lalahan.
"I want it to be known that we condemn the cowardly attack that took place in Besiktas today and was thwarted by the successful intervention of our heroic security forces," the Turkish president said.
He confirmed the official toll: "In this vile terrorist act, three terrorists were killed, one killed and two wounded. During the intervention, two of our heroic police officers sustained light injuries."
Erdogan said both the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office and security and intelligence units had swiftly launched the necessary investigations into the attack.
Erdogan signaled zero tolerance for what he described as a calculated attempt to destabilize the country.
"We will resolutely continue our fight against all forms of terrorism and will not allow cowardly, timed provocations like today's to damage Türkiye's security climate," he said.
He wished a speedy recovery to the wounded officers. "I wish our injured police officers a speedy recovery from Almighty Allah and extend my get-well wishes to the Istanbul Police and the people of Istanbul," Erdogan said.
Speaking at the same ceremony, Erdogan announced the inauguration of fuel production facilities in Kirikkale, a warhead facility in Lalahan, and an advanced technologies research and development and engineering center.
He said deliveries of the Tayfun, Siper, Atmaca, Hisar A, Hisar O, and Sungur systems, along with the Cakir and SOM cruise missiles and the MAM-T and MAM-L smart munitions, would be made to the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF).
Erdogan noted that Türkiye had reduced its defense industry dependency ratio from 80% to 20%, with sector revenues exceeding $20 billion, research and development expenditures reaching $3.5 billion and defense exports rising from $248 million in 2002 to more than $10 billion last year.
Defense and aerospace exports in the first quarter grew 12.1% year-on-year to $1.91 billion. Türkiye's project portfolio has exceeded $100 billion with more than 1,400 active projects, he added. Erdogan said Türkiye aims to reach $11 billion in defense exports by 2028 and enter the global top 10 in defense exports.
"Today, Türkiye is a country that protects its own skies, equips its own platforms and develops its own munitions," Erdogan said, adding that, "Moreover, we are able to do all of this with our own intellect, engineering and human resources."
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