Israel, Greece, and Cyprus will intensify joint air and naval exercises in 2026, strengthening their cooperation in the field of defense.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israel, Greece, and Cyprus will intensify joint air and naval exercises in the eastern Mediterranean in 2026, as part of closer cooperation in the field of defense. The agreement was signed last week in Cyprus by high-ranking military officials from the three countries, following a meeting in Jerusalem between their leaders. It includes joint exercises and technology transfer from Israel to Greece and Cyprus to address threats. Greece and Cyprus have invested billions of euros in arms purchases from Israel, including missile systems, and have discussed the possibility of acquiring an air defense system. Additionally, the Greek parliament recently approved the purchase of rocket artillery systems to strengthen defense against Turkey. The opposition party AKEL in Cyprus has expressed reservations about deepening military cooperation with Israel.