Greece is continuing its naval operations in the Libyan Sea, citing the need to monitor its maritime zones, even as tensions with Libya escalate over disputed waters south of Crete.
According to Kathimerini, the Greek Navy has maintained a presence in the region following an uptick in migrant boat departures from the Tobruk area towards Crete and the island of Gavdos.
However, Athens now frames its deployment as essential to safeguarding what it considers sovereign maritime zones—claims Libya has formally rejected.
On Wednesday, Greece submitted a letter to the United Nations Secretary-General and a diplomatic note to Libya’s Tripoli-based Government of National Unity, in which it dismissed Libya’s maritime claims. Libya, for its part, continues to assert its rights over these contested areas based on international law and previous agreements, including the Türkiye–Libya maritime accord.
Observers in Libya view the Greek naval deployment as a provocative move that undermines efforts at dialogue and risks further militarising a political dispute. Tripoli has repeatedly called for diplomatic solutions and mutual recognition of sovereign rights rather than unilateral actions.
In addition to the maritime dispute, Kathimerini reports that the Greek Navy is also monitoring increased Russian naval activity off the North African coast and the Sahel, following Moscow’s reduced presence in Syria’s Tartus port.
While Athens justifies its naval posture as defensive, Libyan officials argue that such actions heighten regional instability and disregard Libya’s strategic and economic interests in its southern maritime zones.
Calls are growing in Libya for regional and international actors to support a balanced and lawful resolution to ongoing maritime disagreements, rather than favouring unilateral interpretations.
