Israeli, Greek navies drill in Mediterranean, in apparent message to Turkey

The Israeli Navy held a joint drill with the Hellenic Navy in the Mediterranean this week, the military said on Saturday, in an apparent message to Turkey.

The drill involved Israeli missile boats and naval vessels from several Greek units, and was led by Israeli Navy chief Vice Adm. Eyal Harel and his counterpart, Vice Adm. Dimitrios-Eleftherios Kataras, along with the chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff, Gen. Dimitrios Choupis.

The IDF said the forces “practiced a variety of operational scenarios” during the drill, including “identifying and thwarting threats in the maritime domain, sailing as a joint force, and sinking an enemy vessel using missile fire.”

“The exercise constitutes another step in deepening operational cooperation between the Israeli Navy and the Hellenic Navy, with the aim of strengthening joint readiness and preserving freedom of action in the Mediterranean,” the military said, adding that it also “marks a significant leap forward in naval military cooperation between the two countries.”

Harel, in remarks published by the IDF, said “the strategic partnership with Greece is a significant force multiplier, strengthening our ability to operate together, defensively and offensively, to safeguard security and freedom of navigation in the Mediterranean.”

The drill’s announcement came days after a maritime-boundaries deal between Libya and Turkey in the Mediterranean was ratified, which Israel, Greece and other nations oppose.

Israel’s naval ties with Greece have deepened in recent years, particularly amid deteriorating relations with Turkey, once a close regional partner of Israel, and Greece’s traditional foe.

Turkey was the first Muslim-majority country to recognize Israel and the two countries once had robust trade, but their ties have become increasingly strained in recent years.

Ankara has become a severe critic of Israel’s war in Gaza, sparked by Palestinian Islamist terror group Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a longtime Hamas backer, has frequently accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of committing genocide in Gaza, a charge vehemently rejected by Israel.

Netanyahu’s office, meanwhile, has described Erdogan as an “antisemitic dictator.”

Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.