The Turkish president does not mince his words. Greece will pay a “high price” if it continues to violate Turkish airspace and “harass” Turkish planes in the Aegean Sea, Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned on Saturday.
Last Sunday, Ankara claimed that Turkish planes on a mission in this area had been targeted by Greece’s S-300 air defense system, and denounced a “hostile action”.
“Lockdown” of Turkish jets
Turkey claimed last Sunday that Turkish planes on missions in the Aegean Sea and the eastern Mediterranean had been targeted by Greece’s S-300 air defense system.
The Greek air defense system deployed in Crete last Tuesday ‘locked down’ Turkish F-16 jets (sensors focused on the jets), on a reconnaissance mission at 10,000 feet west of the island of Rhodes, officials said. Turkish Ministry of Defense sources.
Greece denies Turkish accusations
This amounts to “hostile acts” under NATO’s rules of engagement, the same sources said. The Turkish jet planes nevertheless “accomplished the planned missions and returned to their base safely”, it was specified.
Greek Defense Ministry sources denied the Turkish accusations. “The Greek S-300 missile defense system has never locked down Turkish F-16 jets,” the sources said, quoted by state broadcaster Ert.