Arab states take part in Greek air drills alongside Israel
Israel had reportedly requested to keep its involvement in the drills a confidential matter
Qatar has participated in the multinational air exercise Iniochos 2025 with F-15 fighter jets, alongside Israel and at least 10 other countries, including Bahrain and the UAE.
The drill, hosted by Greece from 31 March to 11 April, includes joint air combat simulations and operational coordination.
“All types of air operations will be executed at an intense combat pace, both day and night, covering the full spectrum of modern air warfare through a series of complex and highly realistic scenarios,” Greece’s Hellenic Air Force said in a statement.
“Additionally, Cyprus is contributing with support personnel, while Slovakia and Bahrain have sent observer teams,” it added. France, India, Italy, Poland, Slovenia, Spain, and the US also participated in the aerial drills.
Israel’s participation included an intelligence aircraft and a Hercules transport plane, alongside dozens of personnel and ground crews.
The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation's (KAN) military correspondent Itay Blumenthal said on 31 March that Tel Aviv was surprised to see the full list of participants published on the Hellenic Air Force's website, especially given its request to keep its involvement, and that of others like Qatar, confidential – in light of Doha's known political support for Hamas and its involvement in the ongoing “Qatargate” scandal.
Blumenthal noted that “Qatar and Israel are now training together in Greece.”
Qatar’s involvement in the drills comes as Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is being accused by the opposition, Israeli Supreme Court, and Shin Bet of “improper” ties with the Gulf state – in a scandal known as “Qatargate.”
Two of Netanyahu’s close aides, Yonatan Urich and Eli Feldstein, were arrested on Monday morning on charges of engaging with a foreign agent, accepting bribes, fraud, breach of trust, money laundering, and coordinating Qatari cash transfers to Hamas.
These arrests are part of the “Qatargate" investigation, which alleges that senior figures in Netanyahu's office received payments from Qatari officials to enhance Qatar's image.
Netanyahu has referred to the investigation as a “witch hunt.” Qatar is a key political backer of Hamas and is a main mediator in the ceasefire negotiations for Gaza.
Greece, Israel, the UAE, France, Italy, Cyprus, and other states participating in the aerial drills are all involved in the East Mediterranean Gas Forum – an intergovernmental organization seeking to promote gas exports from the eastern Mediterranean.
Israel has expressed hope that the forum could help expand its ties with Arab states.
Many of the states participating in the drills are also involved in plans for the India Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) – a proposed route aimed at serving as a potential alternative to the Suez Canal, which G20 states agreed to promote in 2023.