Israeli tourists in Turkey taken to safety amid Iran terror threat

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – A group of Israeli tourists in Istanbul Turkey had to be taken to safety in a bullet-proof vehicle Monday after a tip-off that an Iranian terrorist cell was waiting to kill or kidnap them from their hotel, the Jewish News Syndicate (JNS) reports. Turkish MIT intelligence agents had recently arrested a number of Iranians who they believed were planning shooting and kidnapping attacks on Israeli tourists in Turkey, JNS reports.

Israel’s Channel 13 news station reported Monday evening that the tourists in Istanbul received a call from Israeli security personnel advising them to stay at the market where they were and not to return to their hotel, JNS reports. Security officials arrived to pick them up and took them to the airport, where they were put on a flight back to Israel. The tourists were not allowed to return to the hotel for their luggage.

Earlier on Monday, Israel’s Counter-Terrorism Bureau had raised the travel warning for Istanbul to Level 4, the highest level, JNS said. “Given the continuing nature of the threat and in light of the increased Iranian intentions to attack Israelis in Turkey, especially Istanbul, the National Security Council has raised the travel warning for Istanbul to the highest level, Level 4,” the bureau said in a statement.

Israeli tourists in Istanbul were advised to leave the city as quickly as possible, and those who planned to visit Turkey were advised to postpone their trip.

Iran and Israel are engaged in an ongoing shadow proxy war; the Iranian regime wants Israel destroyed, and Israel opposes Iran’s nuclear weapon program.

Latest Worthy News