Turkish Authorities Seize 330 Migrants Attempting to Cross to Greek Island

A Turkish Coast Guard fast rigid-hulled inflatable boat tows a dinghy filled with refugees and migrants in the Turkish territorial waters of the North Aegean Sea. (Reuters file photo)
A Turkish Coast Guard fast rigid-hulled inflatable boat tows a dinghy filled with refugees and migrants in the Turkish territorial waters of the North Aegean Sea. (Reuters file photo)
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Turkish Authorities Seize 330 Migrants Attempting to Cross to Greek Island

A Turkish Coast Guard fast rigid-hulled inflatable boat tows a dinghy filled with refugees and migrants in the Turkish territorial waters of the North Aegean Sea. (Reuters file photo)
A Turkish Coast Guard fast rigid-hulled inflatable boat tows a dinghy filled with refugees and migrants in the Turkish territorial waters of the North Aegean Sea. (Reuters file photo)

Turkish authorities have seized a total of 330 migrants attempting to cross to the Greek island of Lesbos, officials said on Sunday, according to Reuters.

The coastguard in the Kucukkuyu area of the western Canakkale province said it had conducted seven operations to pick up migrants trying to make the crossing since Saturday evening.

The migrants seized were Afghan, Syrian, Iranian and Iraqi nationals, it said, adding that the number attempting to cross to Lesbos had surged recently and that 699 people had been seized since August 10.

Mediterranean arrivals into the European Union, including migrants making the longer and more perilous crossing from north Africa to Italy, totalled 172,301 in 2017, down from 362,753 in 2016 and over a million in 2015, according to UN data.

Numbers declined sharply since 2015 after Turkey, in exchange for 3 billion euros ($3.3 billion) in European Union aid and a promise to ease visa restrictions for Turks, began to exert more control on migrants trying to cross to the EU via its territory.

Yet many still attempt the short but perilous sea trip and Turkey remains one of the main launch points.



Israeli Embassy in London Reportedly Targeted by Iranian Network  

Forensic officers from the British police during the arrest of an Iranian man at a house in the town of Rochdale near Manchester on Sunday. (Getty Images) 
Forensic officers from the British police during the arrest of an Iranian man at a house in the town of Rochdale near Manchester on Sunday. (Getty Images) 
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Israeli Embassy in London Reportedly Targeted by Iranian Network  

Forensic officers from the British police during the arrest of an Iranian man at a house in the town of Rochdale near Manchester on Sunday. (Getty Images) 
Forensic officers from the British police during the arrest of an Iranian man at a house in the town of Rochdale near Manchester on Sunday. (Getty Images) 

Recent reports suggest that the Israeli embassy in London was the intended target of a complex plot orchestrated by a multi-layered Iranian network. This development comes days after British authorities arrested five Iranian men on suspicion of planning a terrorist act.

While the Metropolitan Police have not publicly confirmed the embassy in Kensington, West London, as the target, reports from The Times and the BBC describe the intelligence as highly credible.

The arrests are part of what UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has described as “the most significant counter-state terrorism operation in recent years.”

Among those detained, two men were tracked in southwest London as part of separate investigations, though police believe both may be connected to a broader coordinated plan. The suspects—aged 24, 29 (two men), 40, and 46—were arrested in connection with an alleged plot to attack a specific facility. Four remain in custody under terrorism laws, while the fifth was released on bail and is expected to return for further questioning in May 2025.

Security Minister Dan Jarvis told Parliament that hundreds of officers are involved in the investigation across multiple locations, pointing to the operation’s scale and the suspected existence of a larger network. “These arrests reflect some of the most serious threats we’ve faced recently involving foreign state actors,” he said.

Dominic Murphy, head of the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command, confirmed the investigation is progressing rapidly. However, he cited legal constraints that prevent disclosure of additional details at this stage.

Police have conducted searches in Greater Manchester, London, and Swindon as part of the ongoing probe.

Security officials have warned of growing threats tied to Iran, particularly as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East escalate.

In October 2024, MI5 Director General Ken McCallum warned that Iran could launch attacks on UK soil if it believes British support for Israel makes it a party to the regional conflict. Since January 2022, authorities have reportedly disrupted over 20 Tehran-linked plots targeting dissidents and media organizations in the UK.

In response to the allegations, Iran strongly denied any involvement and took the unusual step of offering assistance in the investigation.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi categorically rejected claims of Iranian complicity, stating that no official communication had been received through diplomatic channels.

In a post on X, he said Iran is “willing to cooperate” in uncovering the truth and called on the UK to ensure due legal process for the detained individuals.

He also warned of the possibility that third parties may be attempting to sabotage diplomatic efforts and escalate tensions by staging false-flag operations. “There is a history of actors trying to undermine diplomacy through disruptive means,” Araghchi remarked.