Gunman killed in 'terror' attack near Israeli consulate in Istanbul

ISTANBUL - One assailant was killed and two others wounded in a shoot-out with security forces near the Israeli consulate in the Turkish city of Istanbul, Istanbul Governor Davut Gül said on Tuesday.

Two police officers were slightly injured and hospitalized, Gül told reporters, adding the two attackers are in custody.

The governor said the consulate had not been active for two years and that no staff were present at the site. He condemned the attack as a "provocation."

Media reports initially cited police as saying two assailants had been killed at the site.

Images showed a heavy security presence outside the consulate building in the Levent neighbourhood of the city's Beşiktaş district.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan called the incident a "heinous act of terrorism," in remarks in Ankara on Tuesday.

The three assailants had travelled to Istanbul from the nearby Kocaeli province in a rented vehicle, Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftci posted on the platform X. One was found to have links to a "group exploiting religion," he added.

The exact motive behind the attack remains unclear.

An Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman stated that the consulate was unoccupied at the time of the incident. Following the outbreak of the war in Gaza, Israel withdrew all diplomats from Turkey due to security reasons.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry in a post on X condemned the "terrorist attack" and added: "We appreciate the Turkish security forces' swift action in thwarting this attack."

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This story was originally published April 7, 2026 at 10:38 AM.