In the latest of Turkish official’s incendiary statements against Greece, president Erdogan’s senior adviser Yigit Bulut dubbed Greece a fly compared to Turkey. Commenting on the recent incident in the Aegean Sea during an interview with state TV TRT, when a Turkish ship tried to ram a Greek coastguard boat near the islets of Imia, he said “Greece was a fly that was trying to go up against a giant Turkey”, adding that the consequences would be terrible for Greece.

In the interview, he presented the conspiracy theory that the United States was planning to push Greece to attack Turkey, while the Turkish military was involved in operations in Afrin in Syria, warning, however, that the response by Turkey would be harsh.

Mr Erdogan’s adviser had recently threatened Greek PM Alexis Tsipras, as well as other Greek politicians against setting foot on the islets of Imia, as Turkey would break their legs and arms.