Turkey and Egypt are conducting joint air and naval drills in the Eastern Mediterranean, signaling Ankara’s steady push to reshape relations with Cairo after years of tension.
The exercises mark the first Turkish-Egyptian military cooperation in 13 years. The Turkish Defense Ministry said the special naval operations exercise will involve Turkish frigates Oruc Reis and Gediz, patrol vessels Imbat and Bora, the submarine Gur, two F-16 fighter jets, and Egyptian navy units.
Naval commanders from both countries are expected to attend a Distinguished Visitors Day on September 25. Analysts say political and business ties between Ankara and Cairo have been improving since 2023, now extending into defense cooperation.
Last September, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi visited Ankara, where President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hosted him with full honors. Reports also suggested Turkey had quietly handed over members of the Muslim Brotherhood, once a major source of friction.
Greece and Egypt, with Cyprus, have held their own annual “Medusa” drills since 2015, usually between Alexandria and Crete.
While the Turkish-Egyptian rapprochement is seen as a challenge for Athens, observers note it also reflects shifting alliances amid Israel’s ongoing military mobilization.
Meanwhile, speculation about Turkey’s Russian-made S-400 missile systems resurfaced. Turkish officials dismissed reports of their transfer abroad, stressing: “The S-400 air defense systems remain in our stockpiles. There is no change in our position.”