Turkish Cypriot authorities have denied an “unfounded and malicious allegation” by Israel that Iran was using northern Cyprus for “terrorism objectives”, Reuters reports.

The foreign ministry of breakaway North Cyprus released the statement on Monday after the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a day earlier that Israel helped Cyprus foil an Iranian-ordered attack against Israelis and Jews on the island.

His office gave no details of the planned attack but the statement on behalf of the Mossad intelligence service said Israel was troubled by what it saw as Iranian use of northern Cyprus “both for terrorism objectives and as an operational and transit area”.

“The Israeli government continues to make statements that are inconsistent with the facts to distract international public opinion from its inhumane attacks in Gaza and the West Bank,” the Turkish Cypriot statement said.

Responding to the claim that Iran was using it for terrorist activities, the ministry said, “We strongly reject this unfounded and malicious allegation that lacks evidence.”