Turkey plans new naval drills in eastern Mediterranean

The Turkish navy will hold live-fire exercises in the eastern Mediterranean next week amid rising tensions with Greece.
ISTANBUL, TURKEY - MAY 29: In this aerial photo taken with a drone, Turkish drilling vessel 'Fatih' sails up the Bosphorus towards the Black Sea on May 29, 2020 in Istanbul, Turkey. (Photo by Burak Kara/Getty Images)
In this aerial photo taken with a drone, the Turkish drilling vessel Fatih sails up the Bosporus toward the Black Sea on May 29, 2020, in Istanbul, Turkey. - Burak Kara/Getty Images
Al Monitor: The Pulse of the Middle East
Al-Monitor Staff

Turkey is planning live-fire military drills in the eastern Mediterranean Sea next week amid its escalating standoff with Greece over energy exploration rights in the contested waters. 

An advisory issued by the Turkish navy on Thursday announced the shooting exercises will take place Sept. 1-2 off Turkey’s southern Mediterranean coast, northeast of Cyprus. Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar described the drills as "security related."

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