Israel might seek naval support from Greece and Cyprus if the country is attacked, Israeli Transport Minister Miri Regev said on Monday.
According to Greek state broadcaster ERT, Regev stated, “If we are attacked, we may ask for help from the Israeli Air Force and ships from Athens in Greece and Larnaca in Cyprus.”
The minister’s remarks reportedly referred to the potential use of vessels to repatriate stranded Israelis amidst flight cancellations.
Cyprus has reiterated that it is ready to act as a “safety bridge” to assist in the evacuations of citizens from the region and has activated its ‘Estia’ national action plan.
Analysts anticipate a retaliatory strike against Israel by Hezbollah and Iran, after the assassination of a Hamas leader in Tehran and Hezbollah military leader Fouad Shoukr during an Israeli operation in southern Beirut.
Hezbollah has warned it will wage war against Cyprus if the country helps Israel. In a televised address in late June, Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of the Lebanese group, warned Cyprus that if it allowed Israeli forces to use its military infrastructure to target Hezbollah and launch operations from its territory, it would be considered an act of war.
“Opening Cypriot airports and bases to the Israeli enemy to target Lebanon would mean that the Cypriot government is part of the war, and the resistance will deal with it as part of the war,” Nasrallah said.
Greece, Cyprus could be embroiled in Israel’s conflict
Several countries have urged their nationals to leave Lebanon, as fears grow of a wider conflict in the Middle East.
Greece’s Foreign Ministry urged Greek citizens to refrain from traveling to Lebanon.
The ministry has set up an emergency hotline at 210 3681017 to assist Greek citizens affected by the crisis in Lebanon.
A growing number of flights have been canceled or suspended at the country’s only commercial airport in Beirut. Aegean Airlines has suspended all flights to and from Tel Aviv until August 6 and to and from Beirut until August 8 due to the unstable conditions in the region.
Iran has vowed “severe” retaliation against Israel, which it blames for the death of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last week. Israel has not commented.
His assassination came hours after Israel killed Hezbollah senior commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut.
Western officials fear that Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militia and political movement based in Lebanon, could play a key role in any such retaliation, which in turn could spark a serious Israeli response.
Fears of an escalation of hostilities that could engulf Lebanon are at their highest since Hezbollah stepped up its attacks on Israel, a day after the deadly Hamas attacks on southern Israel on 7 October, in support for Palestinians in Gaza.
