The Israeli Navy is carrying out operations aimed at deterring Turkish aggression at sea, in response to the Turkish Navy’s moves into new areas of Israeli interest, according to information cited by the Jerusalem Post.
In essence, as the newspaper states, the message the Israeli Navy wishes to send to Turkey is clear: if Ankara believes it can move its fleet freely, it should think again.
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According to JPost reports, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are on high alert for any Turkish movements, whether at sea, on land, or in the air. This surveillance includes areas near Greece and Cyprus, as well as—in a worst-case scenario—Syria or Gaza.
The IDF acknowledges that the Turkish Navy is a powerful force and cannot be ignored. However, the greatest source of danger with regard to Turkey lies in Syria, particularly following the Israeli strike on a Syrian airbase, which, as government officials have admitted, was intended to prevent Turkey from installing new radar or other systems that could restrict Israel’s freedom of action.
Israel has also strongly opposed Turkey’s participation in the International Stabilization Force (ISF), the peacekeeping force for the Gaza Strip.
According to the Jerusalem Post, the IDF believes that Turkey has a deep commitment to the Syrian regime, which they also attribute to religious motives. In contrast, they assess that Turkey’s involvement in Gaza is of a more general nature and is linked more to the pursuit of regional influence than to religion.
Israel and Egypt Confront Turkish Naval Ambitions
On July 26, the Jerusalem Post reported that, despite the rapprochement between Turkey and Egypt in certain areas, high-ranking sources within the Israeli defense establishment see room for cooperation between Israel and Cairo to act as a counterweight to Ankara’s naval ambitions.
As both Israel and Egypt have watched Iran strengthen its control over the Strait of Hormuz, the two countries may, according to this assessment, conclude that they share a common interest in preventing Turkey from emerging as a rising regional power that could pose a similar threat.
SEE ALSO: New Escalation Between the U.S. and Iran: Strikes on Hormuz, Iranian Retaliation, and Trump’s Harsh Threats
To date, the Israeli and Egyptian navies have cooperated in international exercises, though neither country has faced any serious challenge in the Mediterranean.
This, however, is just one of several possible scenarios for geopolitical developments in the region. There are at least two others.
The Egypt-Turkey Rapprochement
Despite the optimistic interpretation for Israel, Egyptian Defense Minister Ashraf Salem Zaher traveled to Ankara on July 13. According to more pessimistic observers, this move signaled a profound structural shift in the geopolitics of the Eastern Mediterranean. Based on this interpretation, Egypt and Turkey are growing ever closer, possibly even at the expense of Israeli interests.
There is, however, a third perspective, which is based on the fact that, until recently, Turkey and Egypt essentially wanted no relationship with one another.
This reality, which held true until last year, had deep historical and political roots. For more than a decade, the ideological differences between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi were a constant feature of the regional landscape, and there appeared to be no path toward reconciliation.
Al-Sisi accused Erdogan of supporting the Muslim Brotherhood, which was in power in Egypt from 2012 to 2013, while Erdogan—in turn—accused Sisi of ousting it from power.
In recent months, however, Turkey and Egypt appear to be reaping new benefits from their rapprochement. Sisi is securing access to advanced military technology from Turkey without Western interference, while Erdogan is gaining a partner that can lend greater legitimacy to his maritime ambitions.
Military cooperation between Ankara and Cairo
At the same time, military cooperation between Cairo and Ankara has rapidly evolved beyond the level of formal diplomacy, taking on, according to the report, deeper and more structural characteristics.
The joint military exercises of recent months have demonstrated a level of operational coordination that some observers describe as alarming.
Egyptian pilots participated in Turkey’s Anatolian Eagle air exercise, training alongside Turkish forces in simulated high-threat environments. This was followed by the Egyptian special forces exercise “Golden Eagle,” which focused on the interoperability of command and control systems across multiple fronts.
According to some analysts cited by the JPost, these are not merely routine bilateral military exercises, but a process of convergence between the military doctrines of two of the region’s strongest armed forces.
Cairo’s concerns may serve Israeli interests
High-ranking sources in the Israeli Navy believe that, despite the restoration of relations between Egypt and Turkey, Cairo’s concerns that Ankara might gain a strategic advantage at sea work in Israel’s favor.
Sisi continues to harbor serious reservations regarding issues related to Libya, as well as other regions where Erdogan’s interests may diverge significantly from those of Egypt.
According to the Jerusalem Post, on these fronts, Egypt could cooperate not only with Israel but also with Greece and Cyprus to act as a counterweight to Turkish aggression.
Greek-Israeli Military Cooperation
In late June, the Chief of the Hellenic Navy, Vice Admiral Dimitrios-Eleftherios Kataras, visited Israel, where he met with the Chief of the Israeli Navy, Vice Admiral Eyal Harel.
Shayetet 13, the Israeli Navy’s elite special operations unit, and the two sides further strengthened the mechanisms for cooperation between their naval forces.
Source: Proto Thema
