ANKARA: Turkey on Thursday sent its accord with Libya on a maritime boundary between the two countries to the United Nations for approval, a Turkish diplomatic source said, despite objections from Greece that the agreement violates international law.
Two weeks ago, Libya’s internationally recognized government and Turkey signed the maritime delimitation agreement, in a move that escalated disputes over potential offshore gas reserves in the eastern Mediterranean.
Turkey says the accord aims to protect its rights and is in line with international law. President Tayyip Erdogan said that the accord will allow Turkey and Libya to hold joint exploration operations in the region.
Infuriated by the pact, Greece accused Libya’s government of deception and expelled the Libyan ambassador to Athens. It also said it had lodged objections with the United Nations, saying the accord violated international law.
Tensions were already running high between Greece and Turkey because of Turkish gas exploration in the eastern Mediterranean off the coast of the divided island of Cyprus. The NATO members are also at odds over mineral rights in the Aegean Sea.
The European Union has readied sanctions against Turkey in response to its actions around Cyprus, which was split in a 1974 Turkish invasion following a Greek-inspired coup. Peace talks on the island have been in limbo since UN-led efforts collapsed in 2017.
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Turkey ‘sends Libya maritime accord’ to UN for approval
Turkey ‘sends Libya maritime accord’ to UN for approval
- Turkey says the accord aims to protect its rights and is in line with international law
- The European Union has readied sanctions against Turkey in response to its actions around Cyprus
Israel army says striking Hezbollah targets in Lebanon
JERUSALEM: The Israeli military announced a series of strikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon on Friday, including weapons depots and a training complex.
“A number of weapons storage facilities and terrorist infrastructure sites were struck, which were used by Hezbollah to advance terror attacks against the state of Israel,” a military statement said.
Despite a November 2024 ceasefire that was supposed to end more than a year of hostilities between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah group, Israel has continued to strike in Lebanon and has maintained troops in five areas it deems strategic.
More than 340 people have been killed by Israeli fire in Lebanon since the ceasefire, according to an AFP tally of Lebanese health ministry reports.
The strikes on Friday come a day after similar Israeli attacks near the Syrian border and in southern Lebanon left three people dead.
The Israeli military had reported on Thursday it had killed a member of arch-foe Iran’s elite Quds Force in a strike in Lebanon.
On Friday, the military said it had struck several military structures of Hezbollah, warning it would “remove any threat posed to the state of Israel.”
Under heavy US pressure and fears of expanded Israeli strikes, Lebanon has committed to disarming Hezbollah, starting in the south of the country near the frontier.
Lebanon’s army plans to complete the disarmament south of the Litani River — about 30 kilometers (19 miles) from the border with Israel — by year’s end.
Israel has questioned the Lebanese military’s effectiveness and has accused Hezbollah of rearming, while the group itself has rejected calls to surrender its weapons.
“A number of weapons storage facilities and terrorist infrastructure sites were struck, which were used by Hezbollah to advance terror attacks against the state of Israel,” a military statement said.
Despite a November 2024 ceasefire that was supposed to end more than a year of hostilities between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah group, Israel has continued to strike in Lebanon and has maintained troops in five areas it deems strategic.
More than 340 people have been killed by Israeli fire in Lebanon since the ceasefire, according to an AFP tally of Lebanese health ministry reports.
The strikes on Friday come a day after similar Israeli attacks near the Syrian border and in southern Lebanon left three people dead.
The Israeli military had reported on Thursday it had killed a member of arch-foe Iran’s elite Quds Force in a strike in Lebanon.
On Friday, the military said it had struck several military structures of Hezbollah, warning it would “remove any threat posed to the state of Israel.”
Under heavy US pressure and fears of expanded Israeli strikes, Lebanon has committed to disarming Hezbollah, starting in the south of the country near the frontier.
Lebanon’s army plans to complete the disarmament south of the Litani River — about 30 kilometers (19 miles) from the border with Israel — by year’s end.
Israel has questioned the Lebanese military’s effectiveness and has accused Hezbollah of rearming, while the group itself has rejected calls to surrender its weapons.
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