Turkey approves nationwide bomb shelter project amid regional tensions
Iran Press TV
Tuesday, 26 August 2025 7:01 PM
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has approved a nationwide bomb shelter program to protect civilians against potential wars and disasters, reports say.
Erdogan in June tasked Housing Development Administration (TOKI) with constructing shelters in all 81 provinces, with work already underway in cities including the capital, Ankara.
The project aims to provide civilians with safe refuge in the event of wars, natural disasters, or even nuclear threats.
It gets underway more than two months after the Israeli regime launched a surprise attack on Turkey's eastern neighbor, Iran, which retaliated with waves of ballistic missiles.
Turkey currently lacks adequate shelter infrastructure, and many existing facilities fail to meet basic standards.
Previous regulations requiring shelters in large buildings have often been ignored, with spaces instead repurposed for parking or storage.
Officials say the project will follow international examples, including Japan and Switzerland, to ensure civilians have safe areas in the event of future conflicts.
The precautionary measures come as relations between Turkey and Israel reach their lowest point in decades. Observers say recent Israeli airstrikes on Syria are widely interpreted as a warning to Ankara.
Turkish officials have condemned Israel's ongoing attacks on Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria, describing the Tel Aviv regime as the "greatest threat to the security of our region."
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
