Israel and Greece Hold Joint Naval Drill in Mediterranean, Including Simulated Missile Strike on Hostile Ship

Israel and Greece carried out a joint naval exercise in the Mediterranean Sea this week, rehearsing a range of operational scenarios that included sinking an enemy vessel with missile fire. The Israeli outlet Walla reported the details on Saturday.

The commanders of both navies attended the drill, which points to expanding military cooperation between Jerusalem and Athens. It could also be read as a signal to Ankara that the two countries are able to operate together at sea.

Israeli Navy missile boats took part alongside vessels from several units of the Greek Navy. The exercise was led by Israeli Navy Commander Vice Adm. Eyal Harel and his Greek counterpart, Vice Adm. Dimitrios-Eleftherios Kataras. Gen. Dimitrios Choupis, Chief of the Hellenic National Defense General Staff, also participated.

Over the course of the drill, the naval units practiced identifying and neutralizing maritime threats, sailing as a combined force, and destroying a hostile ship with missiles. The two navies also worked on building a shared maritime operational picture and on improving coordination in both defensive and offensive scenarios.

The exercise comes against the backdrop of the long-running rivalry between Greece and Turkey in the eastern Mediterranean, which includes disputes over maritime boundaries and territorial rights. The Israel Defense Forces did not describe the drill as a message aimed at Turkey. Still, the joint offensive training highlights the military capabilities of the two countries and their growing defense relationship.

In December 2025, Israel, Greece and Cyprus signed a trilateral military cooperation plan for 2026. It covers joint exercises, training programs, working groups and strategic military dialogue, and was meant to deepen defense cooperation and strengthen regional security and stability.

The three countries have also discussed creating a joint rapid-response force able to operate on land, at sea or in the air. That idea was under preliminary consideration in December 2025, and was intended to bolster regional deterrence amid concern over Turkey's expanding military and strategic presence in the eastern Mediterranean.

The IDF characterized the exercise as a significant step forward in military and naval cooperation between the two countries. It said the aim is to strengthen joint readiness, address emerging threats, and preserve freedom of action and navigation in the Mediterranean.

Harel said the drill was an important part of deepening operational cooperation between the two navies. "We are constantly working to strengthen the readiness of our forces and expand our capabilities to address emerging threats in the maritime domain," he said. He added that the partnership with Greece is "a significant force multiplier," strengthening the ability of both sides to operate together, defensively and offensively, to safeguard security and freedom of navigation in the Mediterranean.