Story perspectives

Cyprus nears €150 million Israel-Rafael naval weapons deal

By Drooid · Oct 20, 2026, 8:04 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Israel Shipyards and Rafael are nearing a €150 million deal to supply Cyprus with vessels and weapons.
The agreement is expected to be signed within weeks, Calcalist reported.
Cyprus will receive vessels equipped with Rafael weapons, though numbers and types are unspecified.
A 62-metre patrol vessel delivered in January 2018 cost €44 million and carries two Rafael Typhoon stations.
The 2018 vessel includes radar and command-and-control systems to patrol Cyprus’s exclusive economic zone.

History

Historical Context

On 20 July 1974 Turkey launched a combined air-sea invasion of Cyprus, citing the 1960 Treaty of Guarantee after a Greek-backed coup ousted President Archbishop Makarios III. The operation expanded in August to control roughly 38 % of the island, creating the enduring Green Line and a security dilemma. That legacy drives Cyprus’s €150 million deal with Israel’s Rafael and Israel Shipyards for missile-armed patrol vessels to protect its EEZ.

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Story summary

Israel Shipyards and Rafael are nearing a €150 million deal to supply Cyprus with vessels and weapons.
The agreement is expected to be signed within weeks, Calcalist reported.
Cyprus will receive vessels equipped with Rafael weapons, though numbers and types are unspecified.
A 62-metre patrol vessel delivered in January 2018 cost €44 million and carries two Rafael Typhoon stations.
The 2018 vessel includes radar and command-and-control systems to patrol Cyprus’s exclusive economic zone.

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