Protests Erupt in Izmir Against USS Wasp

Protests erupted in Izmir, Turkey, against the U.S.S. Wasp, an American warship docked in the port, with demonstrators demanding its departure as a response to U.S. military support for Israel amidst the ongoing Gaza conflict. Protesters, waving Palestinian flags and displaying anti-American and anti-Israel slogans, vowed to remain at the port until the ship leaves, condemning the U.S. for its role in regional violence and the suffering caused in Iraq, Syria, and Palestine. The protests intensified following an incident where two U.S. Marines were assaulted by a nationalist group, highlighting the growing anti-American sentiment in Turkey, despite its NATO alliance. The protests are also seen as a reaction to symbolic military exercises between Turkish and U.S. forces, as critics claim that such cooperation undermines Turkish sovereignty. The U.S.S. Wasp has been deployed in the region to deter threats against Israel, a move that has drawn ire from Turkish citizens who view it as complicity in Israel's actions in Gaza. Calls for the U.S. military to leave Turkish ports reflect a broader discontent with American foreign policy in the Middle East.