Turkish, US top diplomats discuss developments in Gaza

ANKARA

Turkish and American top diplomats have discussed on the phone the latest developments in Gaza amid fears of a fresh escalation between Israel and Iran.

According to Turkish diplomatic sources, the phone conversation between Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken occurred upon the initiative of the latter.

The two ministers raised the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and other issues regarding regional security, the sources said without giving further details.

The conversation took place as Iran has vowed to retaliate against Israeli attacks on its embassy in Damascus that killed top Iranian security officials and other authorities. Türkiye, in a written statement, had condemned the Israeli attack on the Iranian embassy, suggesting the move as a breach of international law and provocation.

Ankara has been urging all the relevant actors to avoid the spread of the conflict between Israel and Hamas to the region and beyond.

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei again warned Israel on April 10 that it "will be punished" for the Damascus air strike.

"The evil regime made a mistake in this regard. It must be punished and will be punished," Khamenei said in a televised speech after Eid al-Adha prayers in Tehran.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz swiftly riposted with a Persian-language statement on social media site X.

"If Iran attacks from its territory, Israel will respond and attack Iran," he said.