A gunfight outside the Israeli consulate in Istanbul has left one attacker dead and two others detained, authorities said.

Turkey's Interior Ministry said the man who had been "captured dead" and "had connections with a terrorist group that exploits religion."

What happened at the Israeli consulate in Istanbul?

Officials described the incident as a "provocation" and said the motive remains under investigation. Earlier media reports had suggested two attackers were killed.

Broadcaster CNN Türk reported armed individuals had tried to reach the seventh floor of the building in the Levent district. Images showed a large police presence around the consulate.

Istanbul Governor Davut Gul said the two suspects taken into custody had also been wounded, while two police officers suffered minor injuries.

The two wounded assailants were identified as brothers Onur C. and Enes C., with the first having a criminal record related to drugs. The Interior Ministry said both men were being interrogated. It did not name the group thought to be involved, but the "Islamic State" militant group has carried out attacks in Turkey in the past.

Video footage showed one assailant carrying what appeared to be an assault rifle and wearing a brown backpack. He was seen hiding behind a bus as he traded fire with police.

Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci said the attackers had been identified and had traveled from the northwestern province of Kocaeli by rental car. Prosecutors in Istanbul have opened an investigation.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed to fight "all kinds of terrorism" and condemned the "treacherous attack."

How has Israel responded?

A spokesperson for the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the consulate was not staffed at the time. Israel withdrew diplomats from Turkey after the October 7, 2023 Hamas terror attack on Israel, and the subsequent Gaza war.

In a post on X, the ministry condemned what it called a terrorist attack and praised the swift response of Turkish security forces.

"We appreciate the Turkish security forces' swift action in thwarting this attack. Israeli missions around the world have been subjected to countless threats and terrorist attacks. Terror will not deter us," the ministry posted on X.

US Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack also lauded Turkey and the Turkish security forces for "their swift and decisive response". 

Edited by: Wesley Rahn