Greece, Israel, Cyprus working on 2,500-strong force for Mediterranean defense - report

Israel and Greece are working on a fast response mechanism with 2,500 soldiers to act as a counter to the growth of Turkey’s forces, Greek newspaper TA NEAreported on Wednesday. According to the report, Greece is considering implementing Israeli measures and offering a coordinated response mechanism to protect against potential threats from enemy states, top defense officials cited by the newspaper said.

The report explains that Israel, Greece, and Cyprus will have access to this force, which will have air and sea capabilities. "A Greek-Israeli rapid reaction force is not an alliance against anyone. It fills a strategic void. From Rhodes to Cyprus and Israel, platforms, pipelines, and electricity cables are exposed,” said an official to TA NEA.

The official also emphasized the importance of this infrastructure not only for Greece but for Europe as a whole, as a key asset for delivering natural gas, oil, and electricity to the continent. This force, responsible for defending assets in the Mediterranean Sea, would comprise 1,000 soldiers from Greece, 1,000 from Israel, and 500 from Cyprus. (Read More)