Turkey in June 2026: the most important developments in security
In June 2026, security news around Turkey was dominated by the fighting between Iran, Israel and the United States, and by Turkey's preparations for the NATO summit in Ankara. Iran attacked Kuwait's airport with drones on 3 June, killing one person, and Hezbollah rejected a ceasefire with Israel the next day. The United States and Iran traded attacks in the Gulf on 6 June. On 8 June Iran and Israel exchanged missile attacks for the first time since April, and on 10 June the US military struck targets in southern Iran. After a nuclear deal with Iran was reported in mid-June, Israel said it would continue its occupation of southern Lebanon. On 27 June attacks between the United States and Iran escalated again.
Ahead of the NATO summit, Turkish police carried out a series of detentions. On 16 June they raided opposition offices in Istanbul. On 23 June more than 200 people, activists among them, were detained in anti-terror raids, and by 27 June nearly 180 more had been arrested after over 100 arrest warrants were issued. Dozens were detained at an Istanbul Pride event on 28 June. On arms, the United States reviewed the sale of F-35 jets to Turkey and moved ahead with a $700 million jet engine sale. Reports on 30 June said F-35s might be sold if Turkey transferred its Russian S-400 systems to a third country. Italy announced plans to deploy an air defense system in Turkey, and the IHA-230 missile entered service with the Turkish Land Forces.
The war in Ukraine touched Turkish interests in the Black Sea. A Turkish trawler was sunk west of Sevastopol on 6 June, and on 22 June a Russian drone attack set a Turkish cargo vessel ablaze, killing a crew member, according to the Ukrainian Navy. A maritime drone exploded at a Romanian Black Sea port on 5 June. Russian officials said a Ukrainian drone hit a bus carrying children on 17 June, and Ukraine denied responsibility.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
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