Jerusalem, 11 November, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Israel, Greece and Cyprus are conducting their first-ever joint exercise to prepare for large-scale oil pollution in the open sea this week, strengthening regional cooperation in protecting the Mediterranean.
An Israeli delegation led by the Environmental Protection Ministry’s National Marine Environmental Protection Unit departed for Cyprus on Tuesday to participate in the exercise, which will involve forces from all three countries.
The drill will combine naval and aerial operations with coordination through a joint command center, focusing on information sharing and the mutual deployment of personnel and equipment during a major oil spill.
The exercise builds on previous joint command-center drills and professional cooperation under a 2018 agreement between the three countries and the Barcelona Convention for Mediterranean protection.
Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman is expected to participate in a senior-level government meeting at the joint command center alongside Greek and Cypriot representatives.