Alpha News

Turkey-Israel 'Cold War' Escalates in Cypriot Airspace

Published January 4, 2026, 20:14

A 'cold war' is unfolding between Turkey and Israel in the airspace over Cyprus, fueled by Turkey's attempts to establish an airbase in Syria. Israel has blocked the deployment of Turkish fighter jets to Syrian bases, deeming a permanent Turkish presence there a 'red line'. Turkey has responded with flights south of Cyprus, challenging Israel's surveillance capabilities. This tension coincides with the upgrade of a naval base in the Turkish-held area of Cyprus for use by Turkish maritime drones. The trilateral cooperation between Israel, Greece, and Cyprus, backed by the United States, has strengthened in recent years as a countermeasure to Turkey's revisionist policies. Cyprus has received significant US assistance in defense programs and has deepened its strategic partnership with France, covering 85% of its defense needs from the French industry. Cyprus is also proceeding with upgrades to its naval and air bases, in collaboration with European partners and the United States. The 'Evangelos Florakis' naval base in Mari and the 'Andreas Papandreou' air base in Paphos are targets of these upgrades. 2025 marked significant progress in the National Guard's arms programs, with the delivery of advanced air defense systems (Barak MX), attack helicopters (Airbus H145M), and multiple rocket launchers (TAMNAVA), as well as the introduction of the Poseidon H10 UAV into the arsenal. This situation indicates an escalation of tensions in the region and a strengthening of the defense capabilities of the countries involved.