Tourists Get a Front-Row View of Military Drills on Crete as Mediterranean Alliances Grow
The annual multinational military exercise concludes amidst rising regional security coordination, as Mediterranean nations seek stronger deterrence amid global uncertainty.
- On Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, the annual Medusa 15 military exercise concluded in Chania, Crete, led by Greece and Egypt, featuring drone attacks and fast-boat landings with simulated fire.
- France, Italy, and Cyprus participated in the exercises that began Sept. 10, while Egypt deployed the helicopter carrier Gamal Abdel Nasser alongside observers from Serbia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Mozambique.
- Regional wars and economic shocks have prompted nations to seek stronger deterrence through widening alliances; Greece signed a €3 billion deal with Israel in August for the Achilles Shield air defense system.
- Weeks before the Mediterranean exercises, Turkey, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia signed a separate landmark defense agreement, reflecting broader regional efforts to strengthen military cooperation.
- Tourists on Crete watched the drills unfold; Louise Carr from York, England, said, "You'd pay thousands to watch this, wouldn't you?" while Michal Sitko from Poland called it amazing.
58 Articles
58 Articles
Greece-Egypt military exercise draws tourists’ attention in Crete
Vacationers on the Greek island of Crete — taking a morning dip or seeking shade on wooden sunbeds — watched a major military exercise unfold on a beachfront Friday, just 50 meters (yards) away.
Growing Mediterranean alliances bring military drills to Crete tourists
MALEME, Greece: Vacationers taking a morning dip or seeking shade on wooden sunbeds on the Greek island of Crete got a close-up view of a major military exercise unfolding in front of them Friday. The annual Medusa exercise, led by Greece and Egypt, ended on a strip of coastline outside the port city of Chania. It featured drone attacks and fast-boat landings with marines and special forces operators using simulated fire. France, Italy and Cypru…
Multinational Medusa exercise with Cyprus concludes off Crete
Cyprus took part in the multinational Medusa military exercise, which concluded on Friday off the coast of Crete after nine days involving forces from Greece, Egypt, France and Italy. According to a National Guard statement, Cyprus contributed the patrol vessel the Commodore Andreas Ioannides from its navy, an AW-139 helicopter from its air force, as […]
Tourists get a front-row view of military drills on Crete as Mediterra
Tourists from nearby hotels watch a military helicopter fly overhead during Medusa 15, a multinational military exercise led by Greece and Egypt, at Maleme on the Greek island of Crete, Friday, Sept. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
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