Turkey is preparing for a range of scenarios in the Eastern Mediterranean, including crises, heightened tensions and war, according to an official response from the Turkish Ministry of National Defence to the Grand National Assembly.
The document, revealed by Nordic Monitor and dated 10 August 2026, was signed by Turkish Defence Minister Yaşar Güler. It is of particular interest to Cyprus, as Ankara directly links its military planning to developments in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean, closer Greece-Israel defence cooperation and the security of the occupied areas of Cyprus.
The response followed a written parliamentary question submitted by Gaziantep MP Hasan Öztürkmen, who had requested information from the Turkish Defence Ministry.
Measures being taken for possible war
The most notable part of the response appears in its final paragraph, where the Turkish Defence Ministry openly refers to preparations for different levels of military escalation.
It states that, within the ministry’s responsibilities and its remit concerning the region, the necessary work is being carried out and measures are being taken against “all kinds of developments” that may arise in the field, including possible “crises, tensions and war”.
The ministry also says the security of Turkey and the region is being continuously monitored.
The reference indicates that Ankara’s operational planning covers not only the management of potential crises and periods of heightened tension, but also the possibility of armed conflict.
Greece monitored closely in the Aegean
The Turkish Defence Ministry also makes clear that it is systematically monitoring Greece’s military activities and defence programmes.
It says Greece’s “military cooperation and armament activities” in both the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean, along with related statements and actions, are being monitored “sensitively” by Ankara.
The ministry adds that, where necessary, “the necessary responses are demonstrated in a timely manner”.
Greece-Israel defence ties under scrutiny
The response makes particular reference to the defence relationship between Greece and Israel, which Ankara acknowledges has strengthened significantly in recent years.
The document says military cooperation between Greece and Israel has gained increasing momentum in recent years in the areas of defence industry, training, exercises and technology.
Turkey says it considers cooperation between the two countries normal as long as it complies with international law, good-neighbourly relations and alliance principles and “is not directed against third countries”.
However, it immediately adds that Greece-Israel military cooperation activities are being “closely monitored” by the Turkish Defence Ministry.
Cyprus and the occupied areas
The document is particularly significant for Cyprus because the Turkish government links regional military developments to its policy in the occupied areas.
The Defence Ministry says the strengthening of Greece-Israel cooperation has not changed either Turkey’s relations with the self-declared Turkish Cypriot administration or Ankara’s approach to “the security of the island”.
It states that Turkey remains determined to protect, under any circumstances, the security, rights and interests of both Turkey and the “TRNC”.
This wording, combined with the reference to preparations for “crises, tensions and war”, illustrates how Ankara incorporates Cyprus into its broader strategic and military planning for the Eastern Mediterranean.
The official document does not say that war is considered imminent, nor does it identify a specific adversary in such a scenario.
It does, however, confirm that Turkey is preparing and taking measures for scenarios extending to the level of war, while closely monitoring the deepening military cooperation between Greece and Israel.
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