Report: Israel Scrambles IAF Warplanes Toward Turkish Ship

[Purveyor]

By Haaretz

Israel Defense Forces jet fighters were scrambled toward a Turkish seismic research ship in the Eastern Mediterranean, Turkish media reported on Friday, in what seemed to be a further escalation in the already fraying ties between the once longtime allies.

According to the report, cited by the Turkish daily Today's Zaman and based on a report by the Turkish Vatan daily, two Israel Air Force F-15s took off to face the Turkish vessel on Thursday night, flying through the airspace of both Cyprus and Turkish Cyprus.

The report added that the warplanes approached the Turkish ship despite incessant warnings by forces in Turkish Cyprus, according to which the planes had breached the territory's airspace.

Ultimately, the report indicated, Turkey launched two F-16 fighters to track the Israeli planes, at which point the IAF fighter jets returned to Israeli airspace.

MORE...

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/report-israel-scrambles-iaf-warplanes-toward-turkish-ship-1.387407

[teddy51]

1. I fear that something is going to breakout in this area, and soon. n/t

[leveymg]

2. You may be right. Anything to distract from and derail Palestinian statehood.

And, then there's that unscratched itch in Persia.

[Cali_Democrat]

3. If Israel attacks Turkey, we're obligated to protect Turkey as per the NATO treaty

[King_David]

4. Wanna put money on that ?

:)

[teddy51]

5. If NATO doesn't support Turkey, then it will be goodbye NATO.

Whats the purpose of having NATO (and being a member) if you don't support each other?

[provis99]

10. nonsense. The treaty has always been meaningless.

When Argentina attacked Britain in the 1980's, what NATO ally came to Britain's aid? Heck Reagan wasn't even sure whether he'd support Britain or fascist Argentina.

[azurnoir]

6. so if the reverse were to happen would the

US protect Israel by attacking Turkey?

[King_David]

7. I do not think Israel needs any protection

Love it .

:)

[azurnoir]

12. okay we'll have to remember that hope it doesn't turn out like '73 n/t

[ProgressiveProfessor]

14. As in where the US had to stop Israel from taking Damascus and instituting regime change?

Assad would not be in charge today if that had happened...

[azurnoir]

16. no as in where the US had to resupply Israel on an emergency basis

but you knew that right just needed to get that title line in huh?

[ProgressiveProfessor]

17. Actually much of it was upgraded ordnance including ARMs

[azurnoir]

18. but all of it was quite badly needed n/t

[ProgressiveProfessor]

19. Two key problems the IDF had were the SAMs and AT missiles

Not much could be done about the Sagger ATs, but the Shrikes helped with the SAMs, which were mostly taken out from the ground vice air strikes.

How desperate was the need is open to debate. Today most believe that the IDF would have gotten about the same results regardless, though at the time that was not so clear.

Since then the IDF has build up a force structure that should 1973 reoccur, they will not need resupply for up to 30 days.

[azurnoir]

20. The problem no matter how one wishes to parse it was that

both Israel and the Egyptians had run low on ordinance and the Soviet Union restocked the Egyptians, now there are 'rumors' that Golda Meir threatened to nuke Cairo or something and to quell her the US agreed to rearm Israel all of which led to the 1973 Arab oil embargo

[ProgressiveProfessor]

21. Egypt was certainly running low of ATs

By then most of their SAMs and Artillery were toast.

You are quite correct that the rearming Israel upset OPEC etc. Israeli armor had taken heavy losses and the domestically built Merkeva was no where near ready. US stepped in with AFVs and weapons to fill the gaps.

The rumors about threats and cajoling are all over the map from that time period. The USSR was making a lot of noise about intervening to protect its satellites in Cairo and Damascus too, one of the cited reasons we restrained Israel from taking Damascus. What got said and by whom will never be fully reconstructed, since much of it was not in written comms and the people are mostly dead by now.

I have no doubt that Israel would have gone/will go nuclear if faced with its own destruction.

[TomClash]

22. Turkey certainly doesn't need NATO to defend itself against Israel

You should not be so quick to "love it." Your PM isn't - I can guarantee that.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

15. On the obligation, or on whether it will be honoured?

Those strike me as two rather different questions, realpolitik being what it is...

[provis99]

9. can you name one treaty the US has EVER respected?

I think we've welshed on every single treaty the US has ever signed.

[aranthus]

8. Has Israel denied it? Were they asked for confirmation?

Any further report?

[aranthus]

11. There are comments to the Ha'aretz article stating that both Turkey and Israel denied the incident.

I haven't seen anything of an actual report of it.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

13. Turkish Cyprus is not a nation, and does not control airspace

It is an illegal incursion into a sovereign nation by Turkey

[shaayecanaan]

23. Presumably on that basis Israel doesn't control the airspace of Gaza and the West Bank either? (nt)