Gunmen 'Neutralized' Near Israeli Consulate in Istanbul
As reported by The Times of Israel, the incident resulted in three deaths, including two attackers, and injuries to two police officers following the gunfire exchange near the Israeli consulate in Istanbul.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Three people were killed, including two identified as attackers, in a gunfire incident near the building housing the Israeli consulate in Istanbul, according to a report by The Times of Israel, with two police officers also injured in the exchange.
Citing Türkiye’s Haberturk broadcaster, The Times of Israel reported that the assailants were carrying long-barreled weapons and engaged in a firefight with police near the consulate. Two of the attackers were killed during the exchange, while a third suspect was captured, the report said.
According to The Times of Israel, two police officers sustained injuries during the confrontation, including one who was wounded amid the exchange of fire. The condition of the injured officers was not immediately specified.
The Israeli news outlet also reported that one of the gunman who was killed in a shootout with police outside Israel’s consulate building in Istanbul’s business district "was affiliated with a terror group."
"The interior ministry says Yunus E.S. 'was captured dead' and 'had connections with a terrorist group that exploits religion,'" as cited by Times of Israel.
Turkish officials do not immediately reveal the group the attacker was linked to, but Turkish media says it could be the Islamic State terror group.
Video footage reviewed by Reuters and referenced in The Times of Israel report showed a police officer taking cover and drawing a firearm as gunshots were heard. The footage also showed at least one individual lying on the ground covered in blood.
A strong armed police presence is routinely maintained in the area surrounding the Israeli consulate, and additional security personnel were deployed following the incident, The Times of Israel noted, citing television footage showing armed patrols in the vicinity after the shooting.
The report further said that the Israeli consulate building was empty at the time of the incident, according to a statement from the Foreign Ministry.
No further official details were immediately available regarding the identities of the attackers or the motive behind the shooting. The sequence of events leading up to the exchange of fire was not elaborated in the initial reporting.
This article was updated on Tuesday, Apr. 7, 2026, at 02:35pm.