Israel to send firefighting planes to Cyprus to battle large blaze

Residents of villages watch a fire in the Larnaca mountain region on July 3, 2021. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)
Residents of villages watch a fire in the Larnaca mountain region on July 3, 2021. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

Two Israeli firefighting planes will be dispatched tomorrow to Cyprus to help a battle a large fire in the Eastern Mediterranean island country, a government statement says.

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett signed off on the move this evening, with the statement citing the “close ties between Israel and Cyprus, in particular on mutual assistance in times of crises.”

Israel will also send fire retardant materials, according to the joint statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, Foreign Ministry and Public Security Minister.

The statement also says Foreign Minister Yair Lapid spoke with his Cypriot counterpart Nikos Christodoulides, pledging Israel “will do everything it can to help Cyprus in getting control of events.”

The announcement comes after Cyprus earlier today requested emergency assistance from Israel and the European Union to help fight the wildfire.

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