Shootout Near Israeli Consulate in Istanbul Leaves One Gunman Dead and Two Officers Injured

Sun Apr 12 2026 00:51:36 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

A gunman was killed and two police officers were injured during an armed attack near the Israeli consulate in Istanbul. Turkish President Erdogan condemned the incident as a 'heinous act of terror'.

In a dramatic incident near the Israeli consulate in Istanbul, one gunman was killed and two police officers were injured during a shootout. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan labeled the attack a 'heinous act of terror'. The attackers, who had traveled from Izmit, were reported to be linked to a terrorist organization, potentially referencing the Islamic State, although no group has claimed responsibility. With no Israeli personnel present at the consulate, security forces have launched an investigation into the motives behind the attack.

A gunman was killed and two were injured in a shootout near the Israeli consulate in Istanbul, which Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called a heinous act of terror.

Two policemen were slightly injured in the gun fight, Turkish Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci said.

Ciftci reported that the attackers had come to Istanbul from the city of Izmit by rental car and that two of them were brothers.

In a statement, the interior ministry identified the gunman killed as Yunus E.S., who was said to be connected to the terrorist organisation that exploits religion.

This is believed to refer to the Islamic State group, although no organization has claimed responsibility for the attack.

President Erdogan remarked, We will not allow the climate of trust in Turkey to be damaged by such vile and timed provocations as today's. He added that the police initially suggested that two attackers had died, but clarified that only one was killed.

The two injured attackers have been identified as Onur Ç and Enes Ç, who the interior ministry confirmed are brothers.

The two officers injured in the shooting were stated to be in non-life-threatening condition, with one shot in the leg and the other in the ear.

The interior ministry also noted that intensive digital communication has been detected among the three neutralised terrorists, and the interrogation of the injured terrorists continues.

Governor Gul confirmed that the attackers utilized rifles and pistols during the assault. He reported no Israeli diplomatic personnel were present in the consulate during the incident, which is situated in Istanbul's main business district in the Besiktas area.

The gunfight occurred in broad daylight, with social media footage capturing the moment police shot one of the assailants.

Witnesses described the gunfire as loud, with reports of it continuing for roughly 15 to 20 minutes.

Authorities stated a heavy police presence cordoned off the area, and the consulate, currently unstaffed due to deteriorating relations between Turkey and Israel over the Gaza conflict, remains under investigation for the attack.