Erdogan links Greek-Israeli ties to Aegean disputes, renews island demilitarization demand

Turkish President Erdogan has tied the strategic Greece-Israel relationship to the ongoing Hellenic-Turkish disputes, renewing Ankara's demand for demilitarization of the Aegean islands. Athens invokes the right of legitimate defense and prepares to issue a NAVTEX for a submarine cable connecting Greece, Cyprus, and Israel, escalating tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean.