Israel, Greece and Cyprus unite against threats: new military alliance shakes the Eastern Mediterranean

The Israeli channel i24NEWS reported that Israeli, Greek and Cypriot military officials met in Athens to discuss strengthening military cooperation and facing common challenges in the Eastern Mediterranean.

It added that this step reflects a strategic convergence between the three countries amid escalating disputes over maritime rights and the agreement on delimiting maritime jurisdiction zones between Turkey and Libya. The meeting was attended by heads of security policy bodies in the defense ministries of the three countries alongside senior officials.

It noted that the Israeli Ministry of Defense confirmed that security cooperation represents a fundamental pillar of the trilateral partnership based on the joint declaration adopted by the leaders of the countries during their summit in Jerusalem on December 22, 2025, renewing its invitation to other countries adopting similar visions and positions to join the trilateral cooperation framework with the aim of expanding the partnership and enhancing coordination in the Eastern Mediterranean region.

i24NEWS said that the talks covered assessing regional security developments, expanding cooperation between defense industries, developing innovation and military technology, as well as protecting vital sea lanes and strategic infrastructure.

It added that officials discussed ways to transform shared interests into practical projects through exchange of expertise, launching joint initiatives and establishing regular dialogue between relevant authorities, while also discussing opportunities for joint development and production, technological cooperation and the possibility of creating a specialized trilateral working group in defense industries.

It indicated that the files presented included disaster preparedness and response, enhancing civil protection and raising the level of coordination to face emerging security threats, emphasizing in the joint statement the necessity of cooperation to combat terrorism, proliferation of advanced weapons and destabilizing activities whether by state or non-state actors in the Eastern Mediterranean and the region.

i24NEWS said that the most prominent political positions contained in the statement saw the three countries renewing their rejection of unilateral demands, threats of use of force and military movements that would destabilize the region, stressing the importance of adhering to international law and the rules of the law of the sea regarding maritime rights and delimitation of jurisdiction zones.

It also added that the parties addressed the memorandum of understanding between Turkey and the Libyan Government of National Accord on determining maritime jurisdiction zones in the Mediterranean Sea, which was ratified by the Libyan House of Representatives on October 20, 2026, considering that the three countries believe the memorandum infringes upon the sovereign rights of other states and ignores the international rules governing maritime jurisdiction.

It noted that Israel, Greece and Cyprus affirmed that this memorandum cannot produce legal effects vis-à-vis third states, while reaffirming support for the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of the Republic of Cyprus in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions and international law, and rejecting the use of any country's territory in the region as a platform for carrying out activities that threaten regional security.

The Israeli channel also said that the three countries emphasized in the energy file the importance of cooperation as a pillar for stability and regional resilience, expressing their rejection of attempts to disrupt cooperation projects in this field in violation of international law.

It added that the parties affirmed the importance of freedom of navigation and protection of critical infrastructure and energy supply lines due to their implications for the security and prosperity of Europe, the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East.

It indicated that the parties concluded by affirming that the trilateral partnership is based on shared democratic values and integrated strategic interests and constitutes a framework for political and security coordination and strengthening links between Europe and the Middle East, considering that dialogue, cooperation and respect for international law represent foundations for the future of the region.