Under the agreement, Cyprus, Greece and Israel will step up military exercises and intelligence cooperation in the eastern Mediterranean. Its provisions will enter into force immediately at the beginning of 2026.
As part of the alliance, the details of which have just been revealed by the Israeli army, quoted by the Jerusalem Post, Athens will take part in the Noble Dina naval exercises in the Mediterranean Sea in the spring, organized and led by Israel.
Earlier, on December 22, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu hosted Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Jerusalem. Then, the Greeks agreed to purchase multi-billion euros of Israeli air defense elements under the Achilles Shield program and PULS artillery systems, intended to strengthen the defense of the Greek islands near the Turkish coast and at the same time reduce their dependence on traditional European suppliers, such as France and Germany.
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Which countries signed the agreement?
Where was the tripartite agreement signed?
When will the agreement enter into force?
What military exercises are these countries planning?
They have a hard time with Turkey. The three countries signed a new agreement
Military cooperation between these countries has accelerated in the last five years. Israel took full advantage of it when preparing to attack Iran. For example, in June 2022, Israeli planes flew to Gibraltar and back, refueling in Greek airspace en route, and then simulated an attack using selected targets in Cyprus.
The new allies have terrible relations with Turkey. Ankara still illegally occupies the northern part of Cyprus. Greece, in turn, is arguing with Turkey over the rights to exclusive economic zones in the Aegean Sea and the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea, where rich hydrocarbon deposits have been discovered. Israel, until recently cooperating with Turkey, now has a staunch enemy in it after the fighting in the Gaza Strip.
According to Modern Diplomacy, Türkiye will likely respond to the new alliance with more naval patrols, military maneuvers or diplomatic pressure, increasing the risk of an accidental escalation of tensions.
