Politics
Greece arms Aegean islands, threatens Türkiye
Greek officials’ statements continue to disrupt the climate of calm that has prevailed in the Aegean Sea in recent years. Most recently, Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias announced at an event in Athens that Greece would radically overhaul its defense doctrine, issuing remarks targeting Türkiye. Accusing Türkiye of being “the greatest threat” to his country, Dendias said Greece would deploy missiles across hundreds of islands.
Speaking at an event titled “Greece in a Global Perspective,” in Athens, Dendias repeated his claim that Türkiye poses a threat to Greece. “Greece has lived in contradiction since it joined NATO in 1952. The greatest threat to NATO member Greece comes from another NATO member, Türkiye. Greece is defending itself, while Türkiye is threatening,” he claimed. He then announced plans to abandon the doctrine that “the army protects the land, the navy protects the sea, and fighter jets protect the air,” outlining the new approach. “As before, relying on the navy to defend the Aegean makes no sense. New frigates and new warships are extremely expensive tools for limited operations in the narrow Aegean and are vulnerable to modern threats. A frigate worth 1 billion euros can be destroyed by a drone worth a few thousand euros. That is why we have completely changed our doctrine. The Aegean will not be protected solely by the navy. It will be protected primarily by mobile missile systems deployed across hundreds – if not thousands – of islands. We will seal off the Aegean Sea from land (referring to the islands). This will also free naval operations from being restricted to this narrow sea,” he said.
After a long period of tensions marked by disputes over irregular migration, the Cyprus dispute, energy exploration and territorial sovereignty in the Aegean, Ankara and Athens have been taking confidence-building steps for a fragile normalization of their relations since late 2023.
The normalization sustained momentum in the past two years, with talks between leaders as well as sporadic high-level meetings of top officials to discuss sources of dispute.
Yet, both countries stand firm in their maritime rights, which are still not fully agreed upon after decades of hostilities dating back to the post-World War I period.
“Until now, air defense has relied mainly on the air force. This is not the right answer, and it is a very expensive one. Air defense will now rely primarily on anti-aircraft weapons systems. We are implementing a project we call ‘Achilles’ Shield.’ With this, the Aegean’s airspace – not just its waters – will be sealed,” Dendias said.
Under the “Achilles’ Shield” project, Greece aims to deploy five different types of missile systems on Aegean islands and near the Turkish-Greek land border. Greece plans to purchase a significant share of these systems from Israel.
Türkiye also started creating its own “Steel Dome” Project for defense. Announced in August last year, Steel Dome aims to provide integrated protection against low, medium and high-altitude threats through land-based and sea-based air defense platforms and sensors developed at home.
The architecture crowns years of investments that have helped Türkiye transform from a nation heavily reliant on equipment from abroad to one where homegrown systems meet almost all of its defense industry needs. It foresees integration of locally developed missile batteries, radars, electro-optical sensors, communications modules and command-and-control centers.
As part of the system, this August saw deliveries of multiple components worth $460 million, including the Hisar O 100 and Siper air defense systems, Alp 300-G and 100-G radar systems, Puhu and Redet electronic warfare systems and Korkut short-range air defense vehicles.
The Steel Dome has been one of the main topics in Türkiye amid geopolitical tensions, led by Israel’s genocidal military campaign in Gaza and its attacks on Iran, Lebanon and Syria, as well as the war in Ukraine.
Türkiye has long said it would step up measures to protect its airspace and land borders, and has been working to build up its defenses, including long-range missiles.
In June, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Türkiye would raise its own defenses to such a level that “nobody will even consider” attacking it.
The Steel Dome includes many prominent players like Aselsan, known for its defense electronics expertise, Roketsan, a producer of unguided rockets and guided missiles, TÜBITAK Defense Industries Research and Development Institute (SAGE) and Machine and Chemical Industry (MKE), which produces small arms, artillery and ammunition.
Türkiye’s transformation over the last 20 years has prompted the development of a range of homegrown air, land and marine platforms, eventually helping lower its foreign dependency on defense from around 80% in the early 2000s to below 20% today.
Unprecedented demand for its defense platforms, led by its combat drones, helped defense exports peak at $7.15 billion in 2024, up from around $5.5 billion in 2023 and $4.4 billion in 2022. Officials say the figure would easily top $8 billion this year.
Dendias pointed to Türkiye’s rapid advances in unmanned aerial vehicles and said Greece must respond. “Until now, a soldier’s weapon in the land forces was a rifle. A soldier’s weapon is now the drone. The Greek army must enter the drone era quickly. Every soldier must receive drone training. The country posing the most visible threat to us (referring to Türkiye) produces drones. According to the information we have, this country has more than 1 million drones ready for use. We successfully tested our anti-drone system, which we call ‘Centaur,’ in a real combat environment in the Red Sea, and we plan to install it on all frigates. With some modifications, we will also be able to use this system on land against drones. In addition, we aim to form a new force of 150,000 volunteer reservists, bringing the total number of reservists to 250,000.”
The Greek minister added that four secondhand Bergamini-class frigates to be purchased from Italy will carry missiles capable of striking targets up to 1,500 kilometers (932.06 miles) away when launched from any point in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Türkiye’s anti-disinformation body rejected claims that certain social groups have been systematically targeted in recent operations and denied reports suggesting new restrictions have been imposed on minority schools.
The Center for Countering Disinformation (DMM), under the Turkish Presidency’s Directorate of Communications, said claims circulating on some social media platforms alleging that “certain social structures have been systematically and categorically targeted” in recent operations contained disinformation.
The center said judicial and administrative proceedings were not conducted on the basis of the name, nature or social affiliation of any group.
“All judicial and administrative processes are carried out by the competent authorities in accordance with relevant legislation, based on concrete incidents, unlawful acts and evidence obtained,” the DMM said.
It urged the public to rely on official statements and disregard what it described as deliberately circulated manipulative content.
Last week, Justice Minister Akın Gürlek noted recent investigations into organized crime groups target criminal acts rather than religious beliefs or communities.
“The fundamental criterion here is not the identity of any belief, religious structure or community, but criminal acts and structures connected to those acts,” Gürlek said in a social media statement. “Faith and religious values can in no way be turned into an instrument or shield for criminal activities.”
In a separate statement, the DMM also rejected reports suggesting that minority schools in Türkiye were being subjected to specific restrictions.
The center said posts circulating on some social media accounts and in media outlets that created the impression that minority schools were being “specifically targeted through various restrictions” contained disinformation and risked undermining social peace and cohesion.
No new measures beyond provisions already stipulated under relevant legislation have been introduced for minority schools, the DMM said.
It added that the schools continue their education and teaching activities.
Türkiye’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) spokesperson Ömer Çelik on Tuesday sharply criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing his government of fueling instability and conflict across the region.
“The Netanyahu ‘genocide network’ means nothing but more chaos and massacres for the entire region,” Çelik stressed in a statement on social media.
Çelik said Netanyahu has increasingly targeted Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as he faces mounting pressure in Israeli domestic politics, arguing that the attacks stem from Erdoğan’s vocal opposition to Israel’s actions in the region.
He said Erdoğan’s stance represents what he described as an “alliance of humanity” against Israeli policies and called for those responsible for violations to be held accountable under international law.
Çelik also linked Israel’s military actions in Gaza with its policies and operations elsewhere in the region, including the occupied West Bank, Iran, Lebanon and Syria, describing them as parts of the same agenda.
Referring to recent developments in Syria, Çelik accused Israel of targeting the country whenever the government of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa takes steps aimed at strengthening Syria’s territorial and political unity.
“The Netanyahu network’s latest targeting of Syria has once again shown that Israeli policies are the greatest enemy of the peace and stability of the peoples of the region,” Çelik said.
He urged the international community to respond collectively to Israel’s actions in Syria and elsewhere in the region.
“Standing against the Netanyahu network means defending the dignity of all humanity,” Çelik said.
Earlier Sunday, Türkiye, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Pakistan, Indonesia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates issued a joint statement holding Israel responsible for obstructing efforts to establish peace in Gaza and the rest of the occupied Palestinian territories.
Israel has continued its genocide in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, killing more than 73,000 Palestinians and wounding more than 174,000, most of them women and children. The offensive has also caused widespread destruction, damaging about 90% of the territory’s infrastructure.
Since Monday, the Israeli army has also continued earthmoving operations and work to reopen an old dirt road north of Wadi al-Raqad from the direction of Mariya village, using a bulldozer accompanied by a tank and a pickup truck, SANA said.
Southern Syria has witnessed recurring Israeli incursions and attacks for months, including raids, searches and arrests.
Türkiye on Wednesday marked World Humanitarian Day by stressing the need to protect United Nations personnel and humanitarian workers and ensure the rapid, safe and unhindered delivery of aid to people in need, with officials drawing particular attention to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
In a statement marking Aug. 19, which was designated World Humanitarian Day by the U.N. General Assembly in 2008, the Foreign Ministry underscored the importance of safeguarding humanitarian personnel working in conflict zones.
The ministry said the deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, at a time when a record number of humanitarian workers have been killed while carrying out their duties, demonstrates the critical importance of the principles represented by World Humanitarian Day, including the responsibility to save lives and protect civilians and aid workers.
“On the occasion of Aug. 19 World Humanitarian Day, we commemorate with gratitude U.N. personnel and humanitarian workers who lost their lives after being targeted while carrying out their duties,” the ministry noted.
Türkiye will continue working to deliver humanitarian assistance to those in need in Gaza and other parts of the world in line with its “people-centered foreign policy,” it added.
Presidential Communications Director Burhanettin Duran also marked the day, saying the international community was going through a period in which the “global conscience” was being severely tested.
Duran pointed to Gaza, where tens of thousands of people, many of them women and children, have been killed and access to basic necessities remains severely restricted, while humanitarian workers have also been targeted.
“Wherever they may be in the world, we will continue to stand with those facing oppression and extend a helping hand to those in need,” Duran said.
He also thanked humanitarian workers who put human life above all else and expressed hope for a world where humanitarian assistance is not obstructed, civilians are protected and justice is upheld.
Through its state and non-state organizations and institutions Türkiye has been a leading international donor of humanitarian assistance. Turkish assistance has been delivered to across five continents through operations coordinated by the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD). The assistance, including providing food, shelter, medical supplies, financial assistance and search and rescue equipment to regions affected by wars and natural disasters, has reached to more than 85 countries and communities worldwide.
Among these operations, Gaza has been the largest recipient of Turkish international humanitarian assistance, where AFAD has coordinated the delivery of 109,332 tons of aid through 14 aircraft and 21 ships following Israeli attacks on the enclave.
In addition, AFAD dispatched 25 “Kindness Trains” carrying 11,739 tons of humanitarian supplies to Afghanistan, alongside six cargo flights; in Sudan, six ships delivered 10,206 tons of aid and 30,000 tents, while Pakistan received 9,079 tons of humanitarian assistance. Additional shipments included 3,000 tons of aid to Somalia and 730 tons to Lebanon.
Nearly 15,000 humanitarian aid trucks have also crossed into Syria, making it one of Türkiye’s largest long-term relief operations.
More recent disaster response missions have included 30 tons of humanitarian aid sent to Venezuela following the powerful earthquakes that struck the country in June. The shipment, transported aboard two military cargo aircraft, included 275 tents and 7 tons of medical supplies. Türkiye also supported Spain after severe flooding by sending 250 large-capacity waste containers and two street-cleaning vehicles to assist recovery efforts.
Alongside AFAD, the Turkish Red Crescent (Kızılay) and other Turkish humanitarian organizations have expanded Türkiye’s global relief efforts. Kızılay said it reached 32.9 million people worldwide in 2025, including 11.2 million people abroad, delivering more than 20,000 tons of humanitarian aid and over 10 million hot meals in Gaza while continuing operations in Syria, Sudan, Afghanistan, Niger and Uganda.
During Ramadan 2026, Kızılay carried out humanitarian operations in 21 countries, providing iftar and sahur meals, food packages and emergency relief. In Gaza alone, it served 60,000 people daily through soup kitchens, while its 21st “Ship of Goodness” delivered aid to Egypt’s al-Arish Port for onward transport into the enclave. The organization also distributed assistance in Yemen, Sudan, Afghanistan, Somalia, Iraq and Syria.
Meanwhile, the Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH) and the Türkiye Diyanet Foundation announced Ramadan aid programs spanning 66 and 86 countries.
Kızılay also dispatched 48 tons of humanitarian aid to Iran in April after receiving a request from the Iranian Red Crescent. The four-truck convoy carried shelter materials, hygiene kits and trauma supplies for civilians affected by ongoing attacks, with the organization saying further assistance would continue in line with humanitarian needs.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Wednesday reaffirmed Türkiye’s commitment to humanitarian aid worldwide, pledging to continue standing with people in need, particularly in Gaza, as more than 300 million people struggle without access to basic necessities.
Marking World Humanitarian Day in a post on X, Erdoğan said Türkiye would continue setting an example on an issue that transcends politics, drawing strength from its history and deeply rooted civilizational values.
He said Türkiye remains the world’s leading provider of humanitarian assistance relative to its national income.
Erdoğan pointed to the plight of more than 300 million people deprived of their most basic needs and struggling to survive under difficult conditions, saying the scale of suffering presents a reality that calls on the entire international community to shoulder responsibility.
He stressed that coming to the aid of the oppressed, orphans, vulnerable and needy, and standing by those who have no one else, is a responsibility rooted in Türkiye’s religious and humanitarian values.
Erdoğan pledged that Türkiye would continue extending its “hand of compassion” wherever people are in need.
He added that Türkiye would continue supporting those in need across many parts of the world, particularly in Gaza, while offering hope to people facing oppression and hardship.
Through its state and non-state organizations and institutions Türkiye has been a leading international donor of humanitarian assistance. Turkish assistance has been delivered to across five continents through operations coordinated by the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD). The assistance, including providing food, shelter, medical supplies, financial assistance and search and rescue equipment to regions affected by wars and natural disasters, has reached to more than 85 countries and communities worldwide.
Among these operations, Gaza has been the largest recipient of Turkish international humanitarian assistance, where AFAD has coordinated the delivery of 109,332 tons of aid through 14 aircraft and 21 ships following Israeli attacks on the enclave.
In addition, AFAD dispatched 25 “Kindness Trains” carrying 11,739 tons of humanitarian supplies to Afghanistan, alongside six cargo flights; in Sudan, six ships delivered 10,206 tons of aid and 30,000 tents, while Pakistan received 9,079 tons of humanitarian assistance. Additional shipments included 3,000 tons of aid to Somalia and 730 tons to Lebanon.
Nearly 15,000 humanitarian aid trucks have also crossed into Syria, making it one of Türkiye’s largest long-term relief operations.
More recent disaster response missions have included 30 tons of humanitarian aid sent to Venezuela following the powerful earthquakes that struck the country in June. The shipment, transported aboard two military cargo aircraft, included 275 tents and 7 tons of medical supplies. Türkiye also supported Spain after severe flooding by sending 250 large-capacity waste containers and two street-cleaning vehicles to assist recovery efforts.
Alongside AFAD, the Turkish Red Crescent (Kızılay) and other Turkish humanitarian organizations have expanded Türkiye’s global relief efforts. Kızılay said it reached 32.9 million people worldwide in 2025, including 11.2 million people abroad, delivering more than 20,000 tons of humanitarian aid and over 10 million hot meals in Gaza while continuing operations in Syria, Sudan, Afghanistan, Niger and Uganda.
Türkiye on Wednesday rejected any legal implications from Greece’s newly announced renewable energy spatial plan in the Aegean Sea, stressing that unilateral initiatives cannot alter Ankara’s longstanding legal position on disputes between the two neighbors.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Öncü Keçeli said Greece’s “Special Spatial Framework for Renewable Energy Sources,” announced Wednesday and covering the Aegean Sea, would have no legal consequences for Türkiye regarding the interconnected disputes between Ankara and Athens.
He said this also applied to geographical formations whose sovereignty has not been transferred to Greece under international treaties.
“These and similar initiatives will not affect Türkiye’s legal position regarding Aegean issues,” Keçeli said.
The spokesperson reiterated Ankara’s position that unilateral actions should be avoided in enclosed or semi-enclosed seas such as the Aegean and Mediterranean, noting that international maritime law encourages cooperation among coastal states.
Keçeli stressed that Türkiye, as one of the two coastal states of the Aegean, remains ready to cooperate with Greece.
He also reaffirmed Ankara’s commitment to resolving outstanding disputes through international law, equity and good-neighborly relations under the Athens Declaration on Friendly Relations and Good-Neighbourliness signed on Dec. 7, 2023.
Türkiye’s communications director Burhanettin Duran said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s threats and accusations against Türkiye and Syria reflect his government’s growing international isolation and domestic political concerns, pledging Ankara would continue opposing policies that threaten regional stability.
Responding to questions from Anadolu Agency (AA) about Netanyahu’s recent remarks targeting Türkiye, Duran said the Israeli leader was attempting to portray regional countries as threats to divert attention from criticism of his government’s policies.
“The threats and lies Netanyahu voiced against Türkiye and Syria in an interview are a new reflection of the Israeli prime minister’s growing international isolation, political fears and delusions,” Duran noted.
He said Netanyahu’s efforts to create what he called “imaginary threats and enemies” no longer had a significant impact on international public opinion, arguing that opposition to Israel’s policies was increasing.
Duran stressed Netanyahu was using hostility toward Türkiye as a political “lifeline” amid domestic concerns and approaching elections, while competing with more radical political factions in Israel.
He accused Netanyahu’s government of pursuing aggressive policies stretching from Gaza to Syria and Lebanon and of tolerating settler violence in the occupied Palestinian territories.
“The problem is not that people do not sufficiently understand Israeli policies, but that more and more people understand and reject them,” Duran said, adding that accusations against regional countries and large-scale public relations campaigns were therefore producing limited results.
Asked whether Netanyahu’s rhetoric could signal an expansion of Israeli military action toward Türkiye, he noted regional countries and the international community were increasingly opposing what Ankara sees as an Israeli strategy that fuels wider conflict.
“The entire region is coming together against a strategic destabilizing actor,” he said.
Duran argued that the Netanyahu government had largely abandoned diplomacy and dialogue, saying its approach increasingly equated security with continued military action rather than regional stability.
Türkiye’s opposition to those policies, he underlined, stems not from Ankara posing a threat to Israel but from Türkiye’s regional influence and its stance against actions that it believes undermine security and stability.
Duran also pointed to criticism of Netanyahu within Israel, saying opposition figures had described his anti-Türkiye rhetoric as irresponsible and damaging.
He described Türkiye as an experienced regional power and NATO member that has strengthened both its diplomatic influence and defense capabilities.
The Israeli government should instead pursue a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and refrain from further destabilizing actions, Duran said.
Asked how Ankara would respond to Israel’s policies, Duran said Türkiye would continue supporting countries pursuing peaceful policies in the region, particularly Syria.
“We are a cautious, coolheaded and powerful country,” he said, adding that Türkiye had the ability to protect its national security while avoiding what he described as attempts to drag the region into further confrontation.
“Türkiye will never allow anyone to disturb the peace of our nation and our friends,” he emphasized.
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