Israel, Greece, and Cyprus weigh joint rapid reaction force
Security talks aim to deepen cooperation and deter Turkey in the eastern Mediterranean
Senior officials from Israel, Greece, and Cyprus are in early-stage discussions on establishing a joint rapid reaction military force, according to three sources familiar with the matter who spoke to i24NEWS. The initiative is being examined as part of a broader effort to strengthen military-strategic cooperation among the three countries amid rising tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean.
According to the sources, the proposed force would not be permanent but would be designed for rapid deployment during crisis situations at sea, in the air, and on land. The discussions are described as preliminary, with planning and assessments still underway. One source said the idea is to create “a flexible force that can be activated quickly when needed,” rather than a standing multinational unit.
The initiative is widely seen as a deterrent signal aimed at Turkey’s military and political activity in the region. “Even the discussion itself is meant to send a message,” one of the sources said, referring to Ankara and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Momentum around the proposal comes ahead of a high-level summit expected next week, when Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides are set to arrive in Israel for talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The possible establishment of a joint force is expected to be among the issues discussed during the meetings, the sources said.
In recent weeks, Israeli, Greek, and Cypriot defense officials have held multiple consultations touching on regional security cooperation. In November, the Prime Minister’s Office said Military Secretary Maj. Gen. Roman Goffman and Deputy IDF Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Gil Reich held meetings in Greece on “political and regional issues” with their Greek counterparts. Israeli Air Force Commander Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar has also met senior air force officials from Greece and Cyprus in what officials described as a strategic meeting to deepen cooperation.
Defense Minister Israel Katz added to the diplomatic activity this week by meeting his Cypriot counterpart in Israel, further underscoring the growing defense dialogue among the three countries.
According to a report by the Greek outlet Ta Nea, one proposal under discussion envisions a force of roughly 2,500 personnel, including about 1,000 troops each from Israel and Greece and approximately 500 from Cyprus. Two sources cautioned, however, that talks have not been finalized and that no decisions have yet been made on structure, mandate, or deployment scenarios.
Officials involved stress that the idea remains under examination but say the discussions reflect a shared interest among Israel, Greece, and Cyprus in closer security coordination as regional dynamics in the Eastern Mediterranean continue to shift.