The Israel Air Force published images from a joint aerial exercise with the Hellenic Air Force over the Aegean Sea, showing an Israeli 'Ram' tanker aircraft refueling a Greek F-16, according to i24NEWS. The drill comes amid deepening military ties between Israel and Greece against a backdrop of regional tensions with Turkey.
The Israel Air Force on Monday released official imagery of a joint aerial refueling exercise with the Hellenic Air Force over the Aegean Sea, according to i24NEWS. The photographs show an Israeli 'Ram' (Boeing 707-based) tanker aircraft refueling a Greek F-16 fighter. The release marks the first official confirmation from the IAF of an exercise that had been reported earlier in the day by Israeli media as a show of force directed at Turkey. The imagery surfaced alongside an operator's accompanying analysis noting that Israel, unable to rely on the U.S. in a potential conflict with NATO-member Turkey, and Greece, which cannot fully depend on NATO due to Turkey's membership, are deepening bilateral military cooperation.
The earliest reports of the exercise emerged at 09:07 Jerusalem time on Monday, when Israeli military sources told N12 that the IDF and Hellenic Air Force were conducting a joint drill with an Israeli tanker refueling a Greek F-16 over the Aegean, part of a broader strategic plan amid Turkey's efforts to bolster its deterrence. Within the same hour, at 09:07, additional footage was released by military correspondent Nir Dvori, and Turkish media began framing the drill as a direct challenge to President Erdogan. The thread's chain of evidence moved from anonymous military sources to documented imagery, and now to official IAF publication — a steady escalation in corroboration without any conflicting accounts.
This exercise follows a series of recent regional developments as The Zioneer reported on June 11: Turkish F-16s were scrambled toward the aircraft carrying Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias, disrupting his flight path en route to a defense ministers' meeting in Cyprus. On the same day, The Zioneer reported Greece was advancing major defense procurements from Israel, including armed drone capability upgrades. By June 12, Turkey and Egypt — Greece's regional rival — conducted their first joint air exercise in 13 years. The drill over the contested Aegean serves as a visible signal of Israeli alignment with Athens in the eastern Mediterranean's geopolitical triangle.
No official statement has been issued regarding the exercise's duration or scope beyond what the imagery shows, and neither the IDF nor the Hellenic Air Force has publicly framed the drill's political message; the characterization as a show of force against Ankara remains sourced to media analysts and operator commentary rather than official military spokespeople.
4 developments
- StrongTurkey and Egypt begin first joint air exercise since rapprochement
- DevelopingTurkish media report unusual naval force movement in the Aegean amid tensions with Greece
- StrongGreece advances major security procurement from Israel, including armed drone capability upgrade
- StrongIranian fighter jet scrambles over Tehran amid escalating tensions
Source and signal
- Internal intake