Eight Turkish F-16 fighter jets – six of which were armed with air-to-air missiles – in four formations violated Greek national airspace 33 times on Wednesday.

The Turkish F-16s also engaged in with Greek squadrons in dogfights, as their pilots refused to leave the Athens FIR after they were identified and locked in the crosshairs by the Greek pilots.

Meanwhile, 2 Turkish CN-235 reconnaissance aircraft violated Greek airspace on 29 instances. The flying radar planes, as they are known, moved across the entire Aegean Sea at a height of about 25,000 feet from north to south.

In total, the 10 Turkish aircraft – eight F-16s and two CN-235 – violated Greek airspace 62 times, while on 15 occasions they violated air traffic law regulations in the Northeast, Central, and Southeastern Aegean.

According to the General Staff of the National Defence, the Turkish aircraft “were identified and intercepted, according to the international rules of engagement”.

The violations came on the first day of the new Defence Minister Vangelis Apostolakis assuming office.