Maariv: Turkey a Greater Threat to Israel than Iran Due to Its Military Arsenal

SadaNews - The Israeli newspaper "Maariv" stated that Turkey poses a greater and more serious threat to Israel than Iran, given that it possesses the second-largest army in NATO and has achieved around 80% self-sufficiency in its defense industries.

This was mentioned in an article published by the newspaper that reviewed the rapid developments Turkey has made in the field of defense industries and the enhancement of its military capabilities in recent years.

The article addressed what it described as a decline in the level of alignment between Washington and Tel Aviv, noting that Israel has not yet overcome the shock of the shift in U.S. President Donald Trump's stance towards some of its security needs on its northern borders, before facing a new challenge that may be more dangerous than Iran, namely Turkey, according to the newspaper.

Growing Military Capabilities

The Israeli newspaper highlighted the size of the Turkish armed forces, noting that it has a large number of tanks, including the main battle tank "Altay."

It also clarified that Ankara has established an advanced defense industry system capable of producing most of its military needs locally, in addition to developing a multi-layered air defense system with local capabilities.

Maariv added that the Turkish Air Force consists of about 200 aircraft, most of which are of the "F-16 Fighting Falcon" model, along with multi-role attack helicopters.

The newspaper mentioned that the most significant threat in any potential confrontation with Israel could come from the Turkish naval forces, which include 16 submarines along with frigates and the amphibious assault ship "TGC Anadolu."

The article pointed out that the Turkish army has accumulated extensive operational experience over decades of combating armed organizations, in addition to its participation in military operations in Syria and Iraq, which has given it expertise in fighting in populated areas and challenging mountainous environments.