Turkey and Pakistan Jostle for Role as Israel’s Next Adversary

TL;DR: Turkey and Pakistan are openly threatening Israel, each seeking to fill the void left by a weakened Iran.

Context Israel has long served as a rallying point for authoritarian regimes in the Middle East. As Iran’s economy and military suffer from sustained U.S. and Israeli pressure, other regional powers are scrambling to claim the mantle of Israel’s chief opponent.

Key Facts President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned that Turkey could launch an invasion of Israel, citing past Turkish interventions in Libya and the disputed Nagorno‑Karabakh region. In a July 2024 speech he declared, “We can invade Israel as we did in Libya and Karabakh.”

Pakistan’s defence minister, Khawaja Asif, escalated rhetoric by calling Israel “a curse for humanity” and wishing harm on its founders. The statement follows Pakistan’s deepening security ties with Saudi Arabia, cemented by a defence treaty signed in September 2025. In March 2026 Pakistani troops were deployed to Saudi soil to counter Iranian missile and drone threats, marking the first operational use of the treaty.

Both nations maintain sizable, Sunni‑majority populations—Turkey with 85 million and Pakistan with 240 million—and both enjoy relatively cooperative relationships with the United States despite their authoritarian leadership.

What It Means Turkey’s threat signals a possible shift from diplomatic posturing to direct military planning, especially after Ankara’s recent incursions into northern Syria and its support for Syrian President Ahmed al‑Sharaa. Pakistan’s deployment in Saudi Arabia demonstrates a willingness to project force beyond its borders, aligning with Saudi interests against Iran and potentially against Israel.

If either country moves beyond rhetoric, the regional balance could tilt toward a new, multi‑front confrontation with Israel. The United States will likely monitor these developments closely, given its security commitments to both Israel and its partners in the Gulf.

What to watch next: Whether Ankara or Islamabad will translate threats into concrete military steps, and how Washington will respond to a broadened anti‑Israel coalition in the Middle East.