Turkey is weighing the option of deploying General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jets to Northern Cyprus as a precautionary security measure, according to a source from the Turkish Ministry of National Defence. The consideration follows a recent drone strike on the island, which has heightened regional tensions.
Cyprus, a member of the European Union currently holding the bloc’s rotating presidency, has been impacted by retaliatory attacks linked to the recent United States and Israel strikes on Iran. Earlier in the week, an Iranian-made drone struck a British base on the island. Authorities in Nicosia believe the drone was likely launched by the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon rather than directly from Iran.
Following the attack, several European nations pledged military support to Cyprus, dispatching air defense systems and other assets. Amid rising tensions across the Middle East, Turkish Defence Minister Yasar Guler said the likelihood of a direct confrontation between Turkey, a member of NATO, and Israel remains “very low.”
Turkey and Israel have disagreed on several regional issues, including the conflict in Gaza and Israeli operations in Syria. Meanwhile, tensions between Ankara and Washington persist over Turkey’s purchase of the S-400 missile system from Russia, a move that led the U.S. to remove Turkey from the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II fighter jet program over concerns that the system could expose sensitive stealth technology.
