Gallant: Israel's close ties with Greece are a clear message to Iran

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Monday hosted Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias for a visit to Israel which he hinted would continue to put Iran on notice of a mounting regional alliance opposing its hegemony.

"Our close relations between the countries sends a clear message to our friends and to our enemies [Iran] - Israel and Greece stand side by side for regional stability," said Gallant.

The defense minister added that the alliance was based on true friendship and joint interests, along with a trilateral alliance with Cyprus.

Gallant also said that Israel would aid Greece during its current crisis with challenges from large fires just as the Greek government assisted Israel in the past.

Giving Greece advanced Israeli training aircraft

In May, Jerusalem delivered to Greece two critical M-346 advanced training aircraft at a special event involving top Greek security officials, IDF Air Force chief Maj.-Gen. Tomer Bar, top Israeli Defense Ministry officials, and officials from Elbit Systems.

Elbit Systems was contracted by Greece both to provide virtual avionics for the M-346 aircraft as well as to undertake the creation of an International Flight Training Center at 120 ΑΤW Kalamata in Greece.

Those two M-346s, the first batch of what will eventually be 10 such aircraft, will be the backbone of modern training aircraft for the Greek Air Force.

Present at the 120 ATW Kalamata ceremony from the Greek side were Greece's defense minister, Greek Chief of the General Staff of the National Defense General Konstantinos Floros, Greek Air Force chief Lt.-Gen. Themistoklis Bourolias and other top officials.

From the Israeli side in attendance were Bar; the head of SIBAT, the International Defense Cooperation Directorate, Brig.-Gen. Yair Kulas; Rani Kril, Elbit executive vice president of international marketing and business development; and Yoram Shmuely, general manager of Elbit Systems Aerospace.