Greece and Israel have signed a $3.5bn defence agreement to develop an integrated, multilayered air and missile defence network for Greek territory, known as the Achilles Shield.
The deal signed brings together several Israeli defence systems, including David’s Sling, Spyder interceptors, the Barak air and missile defence system and multimission radars.
A separate agreement will also provide Drone Dome systems designed to protect strategic sites from unmanned aerial vehicles.
The package is the largest defence agreement ever concluded between Greece and Israel and ranks among Israel’s most significant recent defence exports.
The deal is particularly notable because it comes at a time when Israel’s international standing has faced significant pressure. In Greece, public opinion toward Israel has also become increasingly negative, with 65 percent of citizens reportedly viewing the country unfavorably. So why is Athens deepening military cooperation with Israel despite the political sensitivity?
One major factor is the growing threat posed by drones and missiles across the region. In early March, an Iranian drone struck Cyprus, Greece’s neighboring country and close partner. The incident likely reinforced security concerns that had already emerged in Greece following regional tensions in 2024.
After Israel, with US assistance, intercepted hundreds of Iranian drones and missiles, Greek Defence Minister Nikos Dendias called for Athens to develop its own anti-drone “dome”.
The Achilles Shield deal therefore reflects a broader effort by countries to acquire defence systems that have been tested in real-world conflicts.
Other countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, have also sought advanced anti-drone technology, including systems developed by Ukraine.
Israel, however, has a significant advantage in this market because of its long experience developing and deploying air-defence and anti-drone technologies.
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Israel has long used its defence industry as a tool of diplomacy, building strategic relationships with countries through military cooperation and arms sales.
The Achilles Shield agreement is another example of this approach, with defence technology providing a foundation for closer political and security ties.
For Greece, the partnership also reflects another important regional consideration: its relationship with Turkey.
Israel’s strategy of developing partnerships with states on the periphery of the Middle East once included Turkey.
Turkey became the first Muslim-majority country to recognise Israel in 1949, and the two countries later developed close security and defence ties, initially away from public attention.
Those relations expanded significantly over the years, including after the Justice and Development Party came to power in Turkey in 2002.
However, the relationship deteriorated following Israel’s military operation in Gaza in late 2008 and subsequent disagreements over Israeli policies toward the occupied Palestinian territories.
Relations have continued to deteriorate, with bilateral trade collapsing after Ankara imposed an embargo on Israel in 2024. Direct flights between the two countries have also ceased.
The growing rivalry has created space for Greece to develop a much closer strategic relationship with Israel.
The shift has accelerated in recent years. In late 2025, Israel, Greece and Cyprus signed a Joint Action Plan aimed at strengthening military cooperation.
Energy interests have also contributed to the partnership. The discovery of significant natural gas reserves in the eastern Mediterranean encouraged the three countries to cooperate on energy infrastructure, maritime security and regional strategy.
Tourism has provided another dimension to the relationship. Around 744,000 Israelis visited Greece in 2025, surpassing the previous peak of Israeli tourism to Turkey.
The growing Greece-Israel partnership is also taking place against the backdrop of increasingly complex regional alliances.
In February, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu proposed a “hexagon alliance” involving Israel, Greece, Cyprus, India and unnamed Arab and African countries.
Six months later, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, highlighting the emergence of competing strategic groupings.
These alliances remain fluid, and cooperation between states does not always fit neatly into fixed blocs. However, the changing regional landscape reflects growing concerns about security and the reliability of traditional partners.
For Washington, the trend presents a challenge because many of the countries involved remain US allies while increasingly pursuing their own overlapping or competing security arrangements.
The Achilles Shield deal represents the latest stage in a rapidly expanding Greece-Israel security relationship.
While public opposition to Israel may complicate the partnership, strategic and security interests continue to drive cooperation between the two governments.
The agreement also illustrates a wider contradiction in Israel’s international position: while its policies have damaged relations with parts of the global community, its military experience and defence technology remain highly valuable to countries facing new security threats.
For Greece, the Achilles Shield is ultimately about strengthening its defences in an increasingly uncertain eastern Mediterranean, while for Israel, the agreement provides another avenue for expanding its strategic influence abroad.
Al Jazeera
