Egypt, Greece, Cyprus Hold Military Drill in Mediterranean

Egypt, Greece, Cyprus launch Medusa 10 training exercise in Mediterranean (Egypt’s State Information Service)
Egypt, Greece, Cyprus launch Medusa 10 training exercise in Mediterranean (Egypt’s State Information Service)
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Egypt, Greece, Cyprus Hold Military Drill in Mediterranean

Egypt, Greece, Cyprus launch Medusa 10 training exercise in Mediterranean (Egypt’s State Information Service)
Egypt, Greece, Cyprus launch Medusa 10 training exercise in Mediterranean (Egypt’s State Information Service)

Egypt, Greece, and Cyprus began the main stage of “Medusa 10” joint naval and aerial training on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea in Egypt, with the participation of French and Emirati navy, aerial and special forces.

The drill is part of the coordination efforts and joint work to confront the challenges in the Mediterranean region.

The Egyptian military issued a statement Saturday, announcing that the Defense Minister and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Mohamed Zaki, the Greek Defense Minister Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos, and representatives of the Cypriot, French, and Emirati ministries of defense witnessed the main phase of the training, which lasted for several days.

The main stage started with a detailed brief on the training activities, events, and timeline aboard Anwar el-Sadat helicopter carrier.

The attendees observed the training of the participating countries, which included maritime activities on sailing formations, air bombing a number of enemy targets by means of multi-role aircraft, and methods of utilizing artillery of various weaponry against hostile targets and repelling non-traditional threats.

The activities also included, according to the Egyptian statement, training on the right to board and inspect any suspected vessel and a number of activities by the Naval Special Forces such as securing the beaches, raiding coastal targets, and carrying out amphibious operations to control vital targets.

The activities concluded with an air-maritime parade with the participation of a number of marine units and multi-role aircrafts of various models from the participating countries.



UN Peacekeepers Attacked by Civilians in Lebanon, No Casualties Reported

FILE PHOTO: UN peacekeepers (UNIFIL) vehicles drive in the Lebanese village of Wazzani near the border with Israel, southern Lebanon, July 6, 2023. REUTERS/Aziz Taher/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: UN peacekeepers (UNIFIL) vehicles drive in the Lebanese village of Wazzani near the border with Israel, southern Lebanon, July 6, 2023. REUTERS/Aziz Taher/File Photo
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UN Peacekeepers Attacked by Civilians in Lebanon, No Casualties Reported

FILE PHOTO: UN peacekeepers (UNIFIL) vehicles drive in the Lebanese village of Wazzani near the border with Israel, southern Lebanon, July 6, 2023. REUTERS/Aziz Taher/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: UN peacekeepers (UNIFIL) vehicles drive in the Lebanese village of Wazzani near the border with Israel, southern Lebanon, July 6, 2023. REUTERS/Aziz Taher/File Photo

A large group of civilians wielding metal rods and axes attacked a patrol of UN troops in southern Lebanon on Friday, causing damage to UN vehicles but no injuries, a United Nations peacekeeping force said.

The UN troops used non-lethal force to protect themselves and those present, according to the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), adding the patrol had been on a routine operation between the villages of Jmayjmeh and Khirbat Silim.

The Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) were notified and arrived shortly after the incident, escorting the patrol back to base, Reuters said.

UNIFIL said the patrol had been pre-planned and coordinated with the LAF.

The UN peacekeeping mission stressed that its mandate, under UN Security Council Resolution 1701, guarantees freedom of movement in its area of operations with or without LAF accompaniment.

On Wednesday, UNIFIL said that direct fire from the Israeli army had hit the perimeter of one of its peacekeeping positions in south Lebanon. UNIFIL said the incident on Tuesday was the first of its kind since Israel and Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire last November.