Turkey Conducts Naval Exercise Off Libya

Turkish Defense Ministry, Anadolu Agency
Turkish Defense Ministry, Anadolu Agency
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Turkey Conducts Naval Exercise Off Libya

Turkish Defense Ministry, Anadolu Agency
Turkish Defense Ministry, Anadolu Agency

Turkey's Defense Ministry announced on Friday that its forces have launched a search and rescue exercise off the coast of Libya.

“Within the scope of the activities of the Turkish Naval Task Group, a search and rescue exercise at sea was carried out by TCG GEMLİK Frigate operating offshore Libya and the helicopter stationed on the ship,” the ministry said in a tweet.

Turkey is in talks with the Government of National Accord (GNA), headed by Fayez Fayez al-Sarraj, over oil and gas exploration in Libya, as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s administration seeks business opportunities in the conflict-ridden North African country.

In other news, French President Emmanuel Macron called on Ankara to cease its export of arms to Libya, pointing out that Turkey is seeking hegemony in the Mediterranean.

Macron, whose country on Thursday hosted the MED 7, the Summit of the Southern EU Countries, said that one destiny unites the countries bordering the Mediterranean, calling on Europe to raise a sharper and clearer voice towards Turkey.

Concluding the summit, Macron noted that the Mediterranean has become a theater for ongoing conflict in Libya and Syria, warning that the historical play for hegemony is being carried out by states seeking to destabilize the region.

The French president also pointed out that the Russian and Turkish roles in the region are concerning.

Macron's demand for Turkey to stop sending weapons to Libya came at a time when a report by a UN team of experts revealed that Ankara had violated the UN Security Council resolution banning weapons on Libya.

In 2019, Turkey had carried out an extensive arms transfer to Libya, moving at least 10 different weapons systems into the country. Turkey is also responsible for deploying soldiers and thousands of foreign mercenaries there.



Israeli Security Service Says 60 Hamas Members Arrested in West Bank

An Israeli military vehicle uses a laser, on the day of an Israeli raid in Jenin, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, January 21, 2025. (Reuters)
An Israeli military vehicle uses a laser, on the day of an Israeli raid in Jenin, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, January 21, 2025. (Reuters)
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Israeli Security Service Says 60 Hamas Members Arrested in West Bank

An Israeli military vehicle uses a laser, on the day of an Israeli raid in Jenin, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, January 21, 2025. (Reuters)
An Israeli military vehicle uses a laser, on the day of an Israeli raid in Jenin, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, January 21, 2025. (Reuters)

Israel's security service said Sunday it had broken up a network of Hamas militants in the occupied West Bank suspected of planning attacks, arresting 60 of the group's members.

The Shin Bet internal security agency said in a statement that "a significant, complex, and large-scale Hamas infrastructure was exposed" in the West Bank town of Hebron, AFP reported.

It said it broke up 10 militant cells that "operated to carry out attacks in various formats in the immediate time frame".

Hamas leaders "worked to recruit, arm, and train additional Hamas operatives from the area to carry out shooting and bombing attacks against Israeli targets", according to the statement.

Shin Bet said the three-month joint operation with the military and police was its biggest investigation in the West Bank "in the past decade".

It said terrorism charges were being filed against the suspects.