Israel to hold military drills in Cyprus airspace

And of course they say that it's not aimed at Turkey.

Israeli official: Cyprus military drills not meant to 'send message' to Turkey

Israeli source tells Cyprus Mail that its plan to hold military exercises in Cyprus airspace is routine for the Israeli military and there is no political agenda behind it.

“Air force exercises over our allies’ air space are routine for the Israeli military and there is no political agenda behind this,” an Israeli source told the Cyprus Mail.

The Nicosia Defense Ministry’s acting spokesperson, Andreas Tyrimos denied participation in the drills. “The Defence Ministry is not participating in any exercises,” he said according to the report.

Turkey doesn't like it :
Report: Israel, Cyprus to hold joint military exercise

Turkish media says Jerusalem, Nicosia to hold aerial maneuvers next week; blames both for trying to 'send menacing message' to Ankara over its prolonged tensions with Israel, mineral resources dispute with Cyprus

Cyprus deny they will take part in the drills.

Last month :
Rumblings of War: Greece and Israel sign pact amid worries about Turkey

With Turkey threatening naval action against Israel, the Jewish state and Greece have invoked a mutual defense pact they signed without publicity only 12 days ago.

“Greek Defense Minister Panos Beglitis, making the first official visit by a Greek defense minister to Israel, and his Israeli counterpart, Ehud Barak, signed a cooperation memorandum on security in Jerusalem on Sunday during the first day of Beglitis’ three-day trip,” reports the Jewish Telegraphic Agency news service.

“I come as my country’s defense minister to state our political will as a government, as well as the majority of the country’s political forces, for the two countries, the two governments, the two peoples, to work together so that we can further develop and deepen our bilateral relations in all sectors of mutual interest and concern,” Beglitis said.

Cyprus-Israel relation is strong...
Report: Israel scrambles IAF warplanes toward Turkish ship

Turkish media reports claim Israeli F-15s approached Turkish research vessel near contested Cyprus drilling area.

The report added that the warplanes approached the Turkish ship despite incessant warnings by forces in Turkish Cyprus, according to which the planes had breached the territory's airspace.

Ultimately, the report indicated, Turkey launched two F-16 fighters to track the Israeli planes, at which point the IAF fighter jets returned to Israeli airspace.

In addition, the report claimed that an IAF helicopter hovered over the ship, Piri Reis, while the ship was in the Aphrodite gas field off Cyprus' southern coast and near to the larger Leviathan natural gas field.

Israel asks airbase in exchange for air defense

According to the news website OnlyCy, the Israeli government reportedly asked the Cypriot permission to use the “Andreas Papandreou” airbase in Paphos in exchange for ensuring the air defense of the Republic and changing the military balance in the region.

The Israeli proposal is a significant upgrade of military relations between Israel and Cyprus, and certainly any decision taken by the Cypriot government will change the military balance in Cyprus.

After asking for an air base, you bet the air drills are aimed at Turkey.

While is this is going on, Turkey has been trying to calm things down.
Turkey’s activity off Cyprus ‘unchanged’

Turkey’s activity in Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and in waters south of Cyprus remains “unchanged” , Minister of Communications and Works Efthymios Flourentzos said on Friday.

And this :
Turkish Cypriots cancel annual military exercise

A senior Turkish Cypriot official says that annual military exercises have been called off to “improve the political atmosphere” amid ongoing talks to reunify the ethnically split island.

wonder how much it cost amerika ..erm israel to pay them off for holding "drills" in their airspace.. as well as coercing greece into a mutual defence pact.. Whatever it was damn sure that greece got the short end of the deal.. seems israel chomping at the bit trying to provoke wars on all sides.. at the rate israel going they'll get their wish...

Also didn`t Greece just purchase 200 new tanks?

Things appear to be falling into place quicker than expected.

reply to post by pilgore


yep.. gotta wonder where the money to buy them came from when they're bankrupt..

Meh, this fight has been brewing since 1967. There is no such thing as "forgive and forget" when it comes to any nation in the middle east, be it jewish or islamic while the christians take some double penetration from both sides. I may be american but i'm all for withdrawing my nations troops and securing our own borders while the rest of the world can do their own thing.

Isolationism