Turkey: Israel violated north Cyprus airspace

Turkish officials on Thursday demanded an explanation from Israel after an Israeli aircraft allegedly violated the airspace of the breakaway Turkish Cypriot state that is only recognized by Turkey and where Ankara is exploring for oil and gas.           

Turkey's military said the Israeli plane violated the airspace five times on Monday until two Turkish F-16 jets forced it to leave the area over the north of the divided Mediterranean island of Cyprus.             

The statement didn't identify the type of Israeli aircraft, and Israel's military refused to comment.  Turkey's Foreign Ministry and Turkish Cypriot officials reportedly contacted the Israeli Embassy in Ankara to demand an explanation.             

Turkey and Israel were once close allies, but relations frayed following a deadly Israeli raid on a Turkish ship that tried to break Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip in 2010.             

Turkey also has been rankled by Israel and Cyprus's discovery of huge offshore natural gas deposits in the Mediterranean Sea. Turkey opposes any energy search by the internationally recognized Greek Cypriot government in the south of the island, arguing that it flouts the rights of the Turkish Cypriots. It has dismissed a Cypriot-Israeli deal demarcating their maritime borders and has retaliated by starting exploratory drilling of its own.           

Cyprus was split in 1974 when Turkey invaded the north following a coup by supporters of uniting the island with Greece.         

AP