‘Iranian hitmen made target practices in Istanbul’

The Iranian hitmen, who were preparing to implement a plan to attack and kidnap Israeli diplomats and tourists, have made target practice in hotel rooms, Istanbul police have found out.

The police teams revealed the reconnaissance footage of the Iranian assassination team, which was determined to be preparing to assassinate Israeli citizens in Istanbul.

The suspects, including local collaborators, who were staying at hotels and rental houses in Beyoğlu, Fatih and Beylikdüzü districts, followed Israeli tourists and took their photos and videos, according to the footage.

The assassination team of 10 people, who were caught in the operations carried out, conducted target practices in the rooms where they stayed using guns with silencers.

Seven of the suspects were detained and arrested, while three were freed by judicial control decision.

Following the operation, Hussein Taib, the head the intelligence services of the Revolutionary Guards, was dismissed on June 21.

Iran had vowed to take revenge after the recent assassinations of Iranian scientists in Tehran and the assassination of the Revolutionary Guards colonel, Sayyad Khodai on May 22, which was the most high-profile murder inside Iran since the November 2020 killing of top nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh.

The intelligence agency of Israel, Mossad, have taken the targeted citizens from their addresses and sent them to Tel Aviv on a private plane.

Israel's Foreign Minister Yair Lapid had urged citizens in Türkiye to leave "as soon as possible" over threats that Iranian operatives are actively planning to kill or abduct Israelis in Istanbul.