Greece in Talks with Israel to Develop 2 bln Euro 'Iron Dome'

Israel's Iron Dome anti-missile system intercepts rockets launched from Lebanon towards Israel, amid hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel, as seen from Haifa, northern Israel, November 7, 2024. REUTERS/Ammar Awad/File Photo
Israel's Iron Dome anti-missile system intercepts rockets launched from Lebanon towards Israel, amid hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel, as seen from Haifa, northern Israel, November 7, 2024. REUTERS/Ammar Awad/File Photo
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Greece in Talks with Israel to Develop 2 bln Euro 'Iron Dome'

Israel's Iron Dome anti-missile system intercepts rockets launched from Lebanon towards Israel, amid hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel, as seen from Haifa, northern Israel, November 7, 2024. REUTERS/Ammar Awad/File Photo
Israel's Iron Dome anti-missile system intercepts rockets launched from Lebanon towards Israel, amid hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel, as seen from Haifa, northern Israel, November 7, 2024. REUTERS/Ammar Awad/File Photo

Greece is in talks with Israel to develop a 2 billion euro ($2.11 billion) anti-aircraft and missile defense dome, part of a wider push to modernize its armed forces as it recovers from a protracted debt crisis, Greek officials said on Thursday.

The defenses would likely mimic Israel's Iron Dome and other systems that intercept short- and long-range missiles launched during strikes from its neighbors amid the ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon.

Greece is keen to invest in its defenses to keep up with its NATO ally and historic rival Türkiye, which is also developing its own air defenses, despite some improvement in relations.

"The plan is to create a multi-layer anti-aircraft and anti-drone system," one source with knowledge of the issue told Reuters after a closed door briefing with Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias.

"We are in discussions with Israel," the source said.

A second official confirmed the scale of the potential deal, adding that Greece needs to spend 12.8 billion euros by 2035 to modernize its armed forces.

The air defenses are part of Athens' 10-year military purchasing plan that includes acquiring up to 40 new F-35 fighter jets and drones from the US, and four Belharra frigates and Rafale jets from France.

"Our effort is for a quick transition of our armed forces to the 21st century," Defense Minister Dendias said before the Thursday briefing.

Greece currently uses US Patriot and old Russian S-300 systems to protect its airspace.

Despite some thaw in Greece's long-troubled relations with Türkiye, its much larger eastern neighbor, the two countries remain at odds on a range of issues including sea boundaries, energy resources and airspace in the eastern Mediterranean.



White House Withdraws Nomination for US Hostage Envoy

FILE PHOTO: Adam Boehler, US President Donald Trump's Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs, addresses the daily coronavirus task force briefing when he was CEO of the US International Development Finance Corporation, in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, US, April 14, 2020. REUTERS/Leah Millis/File Photo/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Adam Boehler, US President Donald Trump's Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs, addresses the daily coronavirus task force briefing when he was CEO of the US International Development Finance Corporation, in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, US, April 14, 2020. REUTERS/Leah Millis/File Photo/File Photo
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White House Withdraws Nomination for US Hostage Envoy

FILE PHOTO: Adam Boehler, US President Donald Trump's Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs, addresses the daily coronavirus task force briefing when he was CEO of the US International Development Finance Corporation, in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, US, April 14, 2020. REUTERS/Leah Millis/File Photo/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Adam Boehler, US President Donald Trump's Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs, addresses the daily coronavirus task force briefing when he was CEO of the US International Development Finance Corporation, in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, US, April 14, 2020. REUTERS/Leah Millis/File Photo/File Photo

The Trump administration has withdrawn the nomination of Adam Boehler to serve as special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, the White House said on Saturday.
Boehler, who has been working to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, will continue hostage-related work as a so-called "special government employee," a position that would not need Senate confirmation.
"Adam Boehler will continue to serve President Trump as a special government employee focused on hostage negotiations," White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said in a statement.
"Adam played a critical role in negotiating the return of Marc Fogel from Russia. He will continue this important work to bring wrongfully detained individuals around the world home."
A White House official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Boehler withdrew his nomination to avoid divesting from his investment company. The move was unrelated to the controversy sparked by his discussions with the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
"He still has the utmost confidence of President Trump," said the official.
"This gives me the best ability to help Americans held abroad as well as work across agencies to achieve President Trump’s objectives," Boehler told Reuters in a brief statement.
Boehler recently held direct meetings with Hamas on the release of hostages in Gaza. The discussions broke with a decades-old policy by Washington against negotiating with groups that the US brands as terrorist organizations.
The talks angered some Senate Republicans and some Israeli leaders. According to Axios, Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer expressed his displeasure to Boehler in a tense phone call last week.