Report: Israel, Greece and Cyprus eye joint rapid-response force in eastern Mediterranean

Israel, Greece and Cyprus are examining the creation of a joint rapid-response military force in the eastern Mediterranean, Greek media reports, amid growing concern in Athens over Turkey’s expanding military posture.

According to the Greek daily Ta Nea, senior military officials and analysts are discussing a brigade-level force of around 2,500 troops, drawing 1,000 soldiers each from Israel and Greece and 500 from Cyprus. The proposed force would combine land, air and naval components and operate from bases and infrastructure in Israel, Cyprus and the Greek islands of Rhodes and Karpathos.

The plan envisions the participation of one squadron each from the Israeli and Greek air forces, alongside naval assets tasked with protecting critical regional infrastructure. The report suggests that such cooperation would provide Israel with greater strategic depth, while offering Greece and Cyprus an additional deterrent against Turkish challenges in the region.