Ankara's nationwide operation against an espionage network recruited by Mossad turned the spotlight to Israel's activities in Türkiye against Palestinians. As he addressed an event to mark the 97th anniversary of the National Intelligence Organization (MIT) in the capital Ankara on Wednesday, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said the operation was just a first step and vowed more will come. "Israel has no idea what we are capable of," he said.

"Our intelligence agency gave a clear answer to those threatening us," Erdoğan further said at the event at MIT's headquarters known as the "Fortress" in Ankara.

In a joint operation, Turkish police and the MIT detained 34 people in eight provinces as part of the latest investigation into the Israeli intelligence agency's alleged plot targeting foreigners in the country earlier this month. The investigation found that a vast spy ring was behind Mossad's activities targeting Palestinians and activists of Israeli origin residing in Türkiye. The group, which contacted Mossad operatives via social media, would conduct reconnaissance, assaults and attempt abductions for Israeli intelligence.

A court in Istanbul has ordered 15 of the 34 people detained in the operations, to be held in prison awaiting trial.

Weeks earlier, the head of Israel’s domestic Shin Bet security agency said his organization was prepared to target Hamas anywhere, including in Lebanon, Türkiye and Qatar. Erdoğan earlier warned Israel of "serious consequences" if it pressed ahead with its threat to attack Hamas officials on Turkish soil. Turkish media outlets reported that Palestinian and Syrian suspects linked to Israeli intelligence collected and sold information about fellow Palestinians to Mossad operatives in exchange for payments. Recruits were mostly lured through online job postings.

"We are aware that plots of some circles were derailed thanks to our country's stand against crises in our region, particularly against massacres in Gaza," Erdoğan told the event. "These espionage activities show how disturbed they are. Israel is confounded by how we rounded up those suspects. But wait, this is just a first step. You will recognize what Türkiye is capable of soon," he stated.

Erdoğan also hailed intelligence’s recent work, saying precision operations in Syria and Iraq by the MIT cornered leadership of the PKK terrorist group and that the terrorists cannot leave their hideouts anymore for fear of operations. The president said MIT's improved capacity was evident in counterterrorism operations. "It is among agencies effectively using unmanned aerial vehicles. They don't give breathing room to terrorists. The MIT is not distracted by low-level terrorists anymore. They are eliminating their leadership," he said.

"We hear the news of another murderer eliminated hundreds of kilometers away from our borders almost every day. We have the same fight against Daesh," he said, referring to the elimination of a Daesh leader in Syria.

"Bear in mind, you can get away with treason and terrorism today but you will account for it sooner or later," he said.

Ibrahim Kalın, who took office as MIT chair last year, spoke about the agency's role in "deterrence" and said they were working on multiple fronts, from counterterrorism and counter-espionage to risk management, strategic intelligence, protection of Turkish cyberspace and intelligence diplomacy. He said Türkiye has taken a "quantum leap" in the defense industry in recent years and emerged as a deterrent force.

"Türkiye will not leave any unfair action targeting it unanswered," he said. Kalın also stated that efficient diplomacy was dependent on "strong intelligence," pointing out MIT's role in intelligence diplomacy.

"Deterrence is this: If someone throws a stone at you, they should know that the response would be a bullet and they should think twice before throwing that stone. No evil deed targeting the state and the nation will go unanswered," he said.

On the occasion, Kalın also announced the inauguration of the National Intelligence Academy and introduced a new website of the secretive agency. He said the academy's first report was about far-right movements in Western countries in light of rising far-right acts against Turks abroad.

"The organization utilizes strategic analysis, game theory and strategic intelligence communications and combines its fieldwork and analysis capability, regional and global expertise, to defend our country's rights and interests in every field for the long term," Kalın said.

Exhibition portrays MIT's evolution

The event was wrapped up with the opening of a museum focused on the history of the organization. On Jan. 19, an exhibition titled "Temas (Contact) Istanbul" on the evolution of MIT will be on display at Istanbul's Atatürk Cultural Center. Created based on the concepts of "Homeland, Tradition and the Future," the exhibition portrays the transformation of MIT since its inauguration. The exhibition will be open to public for three weeks.