ANKARA: Turkey said on Sunday that its Oruc Reis exploration vessel will now carry out seismic surveys in a disputed part of the eastern Mediterranean until Aug. 27, in a move likely to stoke tensions in the region.
Turkey and Greece, NATO allies, vehemently disagree over claims to hydrocarbon resources in the area based on conflicting views on the extent of their continental shelves in waters dotted with mostly Greek islands.
Earlier this month, Turkey said the Oruc Reis would conduct seismic exploration until Aug. 23 in waters claimed by Greece, Cyprus and Turkey. Athens has called the survey illegal.
On Sunday, the Turkish navy issued a new advisory saying that the work of the Oruc Reis and two other vessels, the Ataman and Cengiz Han, would continue until Aug. 27.
Seismic surveys are part of preparatory work for potential hydrocarbon exploration. Turkey and Greece are also at odds over issues such as overflights in the Aegean Sea and the ethnically divided island of Cyprus.
Turkey has also been exploring for hydrocarbon resources in the Black Sea. On Friday, President Tayyip Erdogan announced the discovery of a 320 billion cubic meter (11.3 trillion cubic feet) gas field, the largest such find in Turkish history.
Turkey extends work of Mediterranean exploration ship through Aug. 27
https://arab.news/n4gjk
Turkey extends work of Mediterranean exploration ship through Aug. 27
- The extension of surveying activity is likely to further stoke tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean
- Turkey and Greece are also at odds over other issues, including the ethnically-divided Island of Cyprus
Paris conference to support Lebanese army postponed amid regional escalation
- Hezbollah holds protests to mourn Khamenei, but avoids calls for retaliation
BEIRUT: A planned international conference in Paris to support the Lebanese Armed Forces has been postponed amid escalating regional tensions following the latest US-Israeli-Iranian confrontation, Lebanese officials confirmed on Sunday.
Arab News has learned that French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to formally notify Lebanese President Joseph Aoun that the conference, originally scheduled for Thursday, cannot proceed because of the rapidly deteriorating security situation in the region, shifting international priorities, and disruptions to air travel affecting participants’ attendance.
France had planned to host the March 5 fundraising conference to mobilize international financial and logistical support for the Lebanese army, which continues to grapple with severe funding shortages during Lebanon’s prolonged economic crisis.
The army has been tasked since August with consolidating weapons under exclusive state control, a mission that has grown complex as operations expand north of the Litani River, a vast and densely populated area requiring significant manpower and equipment.
Lebanon committed to advancing disarmament efforts under the Nov. 2024 ceasefire agreement with Israel, with the army announcing the completion of the first phase in January.
Army commander Gen. Rodolphe Haykal last month briefed the Cabinet that the next phase aims to confiscate illegal weapons, including those belonging to Hezbollah and Palestinian factions, between the Litani and Awali rivers over a period of four to eight months.
Hezbollah mobilizes supporters
Against this backdrop, Hezbollah called for rallies on Sunday to mourn Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed in Israeli strikes on Iran a day earlier.
Thousands of Hezbollah supporters dressed in black gathered in Beirut’s southern suburbs and in villages across southern Lebanon, waving Iranian and Hezbollah flags. The demonstrations dispersed in less than an hour and were marked by an absence of speeches or overt calls for escalation.
In a statement mourning Khamenei, Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem condemned what he described as “American and Israeli tyrants,” but avoided any direct call for retaliation against Israel.
Security measures were heightened in the capital ahead of the gatherings, with the Lebanese army reinforcing deployments around Beirut’s southern suburbs and along roads leading to predominantly Christian areas to prevent any unrest.
The Supreme Defense Council convened under President Joseph Aoun hours after Iran confirmed Khamenei’s death and following Iranian missile strikes targeting Gulf states hosting US bases.
Aoun expressed “fraternal solidarity” with Arab states and condemned attacks on civilians and infrastructure. He reaffirmed Lebanon’s official position that the decision of war and peace rests solely with the Lebanese state and its constitutional institutions — a stance reflected in both his presidential oath and the government’s ministerial statement.
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam stressed the need to safeguard Lebanon’s internal stability, urging that the interests of the Lebanese people take precedence and calling for strict control of the security situation in the south and east.
In a precautionary measure, the Lebanese army also announced the suspension of all drone photography permits nationwide effective March 1 until further notice.
Despite mounting regional tensions, Lebanese officials have repeatedly emphasized their determination to prevent the country from being drawn into a broader confrontation.
