Israel issued a travel advisory Monday, warning its citizens not to travel to Turkey, citing security risks from Iran.
The Israeli National Security Council’s counterterror department issued the advisory Monday morning, after Iran vowed to avenge the death of an Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps officer shot dead in Tehran last week.
The new travel advisory applies to all countries bordering Iran, including not only Turkey, but also Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iraq, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan.
"The National Security Council Counter-Terrorism Bureau today has released the following updated travel warning regarding Israeli visitors to Turkey," the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement.
"For several weeks, especially since Iran has accused Israel in the death of an IRGC officer last week, there is increasing concern in the security establishment regarding Iranian efforts to attack Israeli targets around the world. Therefore, the National Security Council and the security establishment underscore the travel warning to Turkey and reiterate that it is a country that currently has a high level of risk for Israelis."
"According to the security establishment, the warning stems from a tangible threat to Israelis in Turkey. There is also a higher threat level in additional countries bordering Iran. Therefore, Israeli citizens should be alert and take care to show all due caution regarding travel to any of these countries."
Last Monday, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi called the assassination of Colonel Hassan Sayyad Khodaei, a member of the IRGC's Quds Force in Syria, an act of “terrorism”, adding that Iran would take “revenge” for Khodaei’s killing.
“I insist on the serious pursuit [of the assassins] by security officials, and I have no doubt that the blood of this great martyr will be avenged.”