A violent shootout erupted near the Israeli consulate in Istanbul on Thursday, leaving one attacker dead and two others injured in what Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned as a "heinous act of terror."
Turkish Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci confirmed that two police officers sustained minor injuries during the confrontation. The attackers, who traveled to Istanbul from Izmit in a rental car, included two brothers among their ranks.
In a statement on social media platform X, the interior ministry identified the deceased gunman as Yunus E.S., describing him as "connected to the terrorist organisation that exploits religion"—a phrase typically used by Turkish authorities to refer to the Islamic State group. No organization has yet claimed responsibility for the assault.
"We will not allow the climate of trust in Turkey to be damaged by such vile and timed provocations as today's," President Erdogan declared in response to the incident.
Initial reports suggesting two attackers had been killed were later corrected by Istanbul Governor Davut Gul, who clarified that only one gunman died in the exchange. The injured attackers were named as brothers Onur Ç and Enes Ç.
According to the interior ministry, the wounded police officers—one shot in the leg, the other in the ear—are not in life-threatening condition. Authorities noted that "intensive digital communication has been detected among the three neutralised terrorists" and that interrogations of the injured suspects are ongoing.
Governor Gul told reporters the assailants used both rifles and pistols during the daylight attack in Istanbul's bustling Besiktas business district. He emphasized that no Israeli diplomatic personnel were present at the consulate at the time of the incident.
Videos circulating on social media appear to capture the moment when one armed attacker was shot by police and collapsed to the ground. A witness quoted by Reuters described hearing "loud" gunfire that intensified over 15-20 minutes.
Unverified footage showed numerous police vehicles and a heavy security presence cordoning off the area for hours following the attempted assault.
The attack comes amid strained relations between Turkey and Israel, with no Israeli diplomats currently stationed in Turkey. The consulate has remained empty for approximately two-and-a-half years as tensions escalate over the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Turkish Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc announced that a formal investigation into the attack has been launched.