Just hours after the provocative statements made by Hakan Fidan and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during the anniversary of the 1922 invasion in Smyrna, Turkey has brought its air force into the picture of rising tensions.

After 30 months of “calm” over the Aegean, the Turkish air force on Monday sent two armed F-16s into the Athens FIR.

It is worth noting that the last time armed Turkish fighter aircraft entered the Athens FIR was in February 2023. Since then, Turkish air force activity over the Aegean had been subdued and limited only to illegal flights by unmanned aerial vehicles and ATR-72 reconnaissance planes.

During Monday, the Hellenic National Defense General Staff (HNDGS/ΓΕΕΘΑ) recorded three violations of the Athens FIR, originating from the two armed F-16s flying over the Southeastern Aegean and from one ATR-72.

According to the HNDGS, the Turkish aircraft were identified in line with international rules, as per standard practice.

Based on HNDGS data, from the beginning of the year until the end of August, 408 violations of air traffic regulations and 140 incursions by unmanned and reconnaissance aircraft have been recorded.