An Israel–Greece–Cyprus Front Against Turkish Influence

The signing of a trilateral military cooperation plan between Israel, Greece, and Cyprus for 2026 marks a significant step in consolidating a security axis in the Eastern Mediterranean. Officially, the agreement, disclosed last Sunday by the Israeli army, provides for reinforced joint exercises, cross-training, and strategic military dialogue. But beyond its technical framework, it is part of a broader logic of collective deterrence, in a context of Turkey's rising military, diplomatic, and maritime power, particularly around exclusive economic zones, energy routes, and disputed airspaces.

The project, discussed for several months, to establish a rapid reaction force - non-permanent but quickly deployable on land, at sea, and in the air - illustrates a major doctrinal evolution. It is no longer just about punctual or bilateral cooperations, but rather the progressive construction of a credible multinational operational capability. In a region marked by the war in Gaza, Syrian instability, persistent tensions in Lebanon, and competition over gas resources, this approach aims as much to prevent crises as to respond to them.

Israeli Air Superiority

In recent years, Turkey's actions have contributed to strengthening the shared sense of threat felt by Athens, Nicosia, and Tel Aviv: Repeated violations of airspace in the Aegean Sea, naval maneuvers in the Mediterranean, activism in Libya, and the desire to permanently anchor its influence in Syria have convinced these capitals that Ankara is testing regional limits.

For Israel, the fear is that increased Turkish influence might eventually restrict its freedom of maneuver, particularly in Lebanese and Syrian airspaces.

This trilateral dynamic is part of a broader regional framework, where energy security, freedom of navigation, and military projection are now closely intertwined. It also reflects a structural trend: the regionalization of security, as the direct involvement of major Western powers becomes more selective.

At the same time, Turkey is multiplying initiatives aimed at consolidating its influence. Ankara is involved in the multinational force deployed in the Gaza Strip and is holding discussions with the two rival Libyan governments with a view to negotiating a new maritime agreement. Such a move could strengthen its dominant position in the maritime space of the Central and Eastern Mediterranean, to the detriment of its neighbors.

The partnership between Israel, Greece, and Cyprus is not new. This military cooperation has developed continuously since Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan came to power in 2003.

As soon as Turkish airspace was closed to Israeli planes, Israeli air force pilots found a vast training ground in Greece. Joint exercises intensified, intelligence cooperation deepened, and in the early 2020s, this relationship became institutionalized through long-term defense agreements and significant arms contracts.

In this context, the criticisms made by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan against the Israeli-Greek-Cypriot trilateral summit attest to the centrality of this strategic realignment. While reaffirming Ankara's support for Gaza, the Turkish head of state denounced any infringement of Turkey's "rights" in the Mediterranean.