In a display of strengthened strategic ties, the Hellenic Air Force (HAF) and the Israeli Air Force (IAF) conducted a joint air exercise south of Crete on Monday. This marked their first joint exercise since the Hamas attack on Israel last October.
The live exercise saw significant participation from both air forces:
- HAF: 56 F-16 fighter jets
- IAF: Two B707 tanker aircraft from the 120 Squadron ("Desert Giants"), specializing in air refueling.
The HAF highlighted the exercise's objectives in an official statement:
“The activity aimed to train and familiarize F-16 crews with Air to Air Refueling (AAR) procedures during day and night. This exercise enhances operational readiness, combat capability, knowledge exchange, and elevates cooperation between our nations.”
Notably, the exercise unfolded over a maritime region encompassed within the boundaries of the controversial "Turo-Libyan" agreement. This agreement, deemed revisionist and unrecognized by Greece, attempts to demarcate maritime boundaries and Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) between Turkey and Libya, despite their lack of a shared maritime border.
This joint exercise underscores Greece's commitment to asserting its maritime interests in the Eastern Mediterranean, particularly in light of ongoing tensions with Turkey. Greece has actively granted licenses for hydrocarbon exploration in blocks south and southwest of Crete, further solidifying its presence in the region.
