Israel, Greece and Cyprus weigh joint military force amid tensions with Turkey

Israel, Greece and Cyprus are considering the possibility of establishing a joint force in the eastern Mediterranean according to the Greek news outlet Ta Nea. The idea of a trilateral force is raised amid continued tensions with Turkey, which has embraced aggressive policies against all the three nations.

The proposed joint security force would constitute a 2,500-strong rapid deployment force, which would include naval vessels, aircraft and ground troops from all three countries. The joint force is also designed as response to Turkey’s military buildup in the eastern Mediterranean region. 

The Greek news outlet reported that Greece and Israel would each contribute 1,000 soldiers while the smaller nation Cyprus would dispatch 500 troops. Furthermore, each country is expected to dispatch one air squadron. In addition, one Greek and one Israeli warship and military submarine would also be available for various operational needs in the region. 

The joint force is also designed to protect critical Israeli and Cypriot energy infrastructure in the Mediterranean against potential threats from Turkey and other hostile nations. 

Unnamed Israeli officials have welcomed the initiative, which they argue offers the Jewish state “strategic depth” amid growing threats from Turkey, which is currently forming an alliance with the new Al-Sharaa regime in Syria. Greek and Cypriot officials also view the joint force as a deterrent against what they describe as the “Turkish challenge.” 

The idea of a trilateral military force comes after top Israeli officials including the incumbent Mossad director, Maj. Gen. Roman Gofman, visited Greece last month to discuss shared interests and challenges in the region. 

"Israel wants to restart and accelerate joint efforts," an unnamed Israeli official confirmed. 

Turkey and Greece have a history of strained relations despite both being members of the NATO alliance. Meanwhile, Turkish Islamist President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is a vocal antisemite and vitriolic critic of the Jewish state. Erdoğan has refused to condemn the Hamas Oct. 7 massacre and even denied that Hamas is a genocidal terrorist organization. The Turkish leader has instead repeatedly demonized Israel during the Gaza war and falsely equated Israeli self-defense with “genocide” in Gaza. 

Erdoğan openly compared Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with the Nazi German leader Adolf Hitler. 

“Netanyahu and his administration, with their crimes against humanity in Gaza, are writing their names next to Hitler, Mussolini and Stalin, like today’s Nazis,” the Turkish leader claimed in 2024 without providing any credible evidence for his inflammatory statement, which was condemned by both Israeli and Jewish officials. 

Netanyahu responded forcefully by accusing the Turkish leader:

“Erdoğan, who is committing genocide against the Kurds and who holds the world record for imprisoning journalists who oppose his regime, is the last person who can preach morality to us,” Netanyahu stated. 

It was reported in June that Azerbaijan has actively tried to deescalate the tensions between Israel and Turkey, especially in Syria. 

“Azerbaijan is making diplomatic efforts for an agreement,” Azerbaijan’s top foreign policy advisor, Hikmet Hajiyev said at the time. “Both Turkey and Israel trust us."

Azerbaijan, a Muslim-majority country located in the strategically important Caucasus region, has a history of friendship with Israel and the Jewish people.