Greece, Israel hold 'highly symbolic' naval drill in Eastern Med

Greek and Israeli naval forces conducted a joint exercise in the Eastern Mediterranean several days ago involving two frigates and two missile boats in scenarios described as "highly symbolic," according to media reports Thursday.

Eastern Mediterranean drill

The drill featured operational scenarios with a high degree of difficulty, the Greek newspaper Kathimerini reported. Two Greek frigates joined two Israeli missile boats for maneuvers testing coordination under challenging conditions.

According to the report, the exercise focused on identifying maritime threats, search-and-rescue missions, and managing emergencies to increase interoperability between the two naval forces.

Ankara's position

Türkiye has maintained that the Eastern Mediterranean should remain an area of cooperation rather than tension, a position Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan reiterated following a June meeting with his Greek counterpart Giorgos Gerapetritis. Fidan stressed avoiding steps that could undermine regional stability or target Türkiye.

Athens and Tel Aviv have strengthened defense ties in recent years through bilateral agreements and joint training programs amid ongoing efforts to manage maritime boundaries in the region.