Turkey threatens Cyprus over purchase of Israeli-made air defense system

Turkish officials say Ankara is closely monitoring Cyprus’s reported procurement of the Israeli-made Barak MX integrated air defense system, warning that the move could destabilize a “fragile balance” on the divided island.

The officials from Turkey’s defense ministry say Cyprus’s ongoing armament efforts would threaten peace and stability on the island and may lead to “dangerous consequences,” after reports suggested that the system had been delivered to Cyprus.

The Israeli ground-based system is capable of simultaneously intercepting missiles, drones and aircraft from as far as 93 miles (150 kilometers) away. Its deployment would mark a significant upgrade to Cyprus’s defense shield, which had until recently only consisted of Soviet-era weapons, such as the BUK M1-2 missile system.

The Mediterranean island has been split along ethic lines since 1974 when Turkey invaded in the wake of a coup that aimed to unify the island with Greece. Only Turkey recognizes a 1983 Turkish Cypriot declaration of independence in the island’s northern third, where Turkey continues to maintain more than 35,000 troops.

In 1997, Cyprus’s plans to deploy Russian-made S-300 air defense missiles triggered a standoff with Turkey, which threatened military action. The tensions de-escalated after Cyprus agreed to transfer the missiles to Greece.

The defense officials say that Turkey remains committed to safeguarding the security of the Turkish Cypriots, adding, without elaborating, that all kinds of measures were being taken to ensure their safety.