Cyprus and Israel signed a defense agreement on Monday for a new offshore patrol vessel to be built by Israel Shipyards ...

Cyprus and Israel signed a defense agreement on Monday for a new offshore patrol vessel to be built by Israel Shipyards and armed with naval systems from Rafael Advanced Defense Systems. Israeli media put the value of the deal at around €150 million, making it one of the most significant naval procurement agreements in Cyprus's recent history. The new vessel will operate alongside Cyprus's existing patrol ship, the Commodore Andreas Ioannides, which will also receive a systems upgrade under the same agreement. The Ioannides, launched in Haifa in 2017 and commissioned in 2018, cost approximately €44 million at the time and is built on Israel Shipyards' 62-meter hull design based on the Sa'ar 4.5 platform used by the Israeli Navy. Cyprus Defense Minister Vasilis Palmas also announced that a Greek company will conduct a study on upgrading the naval base at Mari to accommodate at least eight Allied warships. That would significantly expand Cyprus's capacity to host coalition naval forces in the eastern Mediterranean. Israel already supplies Cyprus with a range of defense systems, including the Barak MX air defense system, Spike LR2 anti-tank missiles, and Tavor rifles. The two countries have deepened their defense relationship steadily in recent years, including joint naval exercises with Greece in the eastern Mediterranean just days ago. Both governments said the deal reflects their shared commitment to regional stability. The agreement comes days after Turkey and Libya signed a controversial maritime boundary deal in the eastern Mediterranean, which Israel, Greece, and Cyprus all rejected. #Cyprus #Israel #EasternMediterranean