Sun, sea and soldiers: Greek island tourists get front-row seats for military drills

MALEME, Greece — Tourists enjoying a day at the beach on Crete, Greece's largest island, were treated to a live demonstration of a major military exercise on Friday. The annual Medusa drill, a joint effort by Greece and Egypt, concluded on a stretch of coastline near the port city of Chania. The exercise included simulated drone attacks and fast-boat landings, with Greek and Egyptian soldiers conducting maneuvers with live ammunition.

British tourist Louise Carr, who arrived for her holiday the day before, expressed her surprise at the scale of the drill, saying she expected more from such an intense display. Greek military police cordoned off the area to prevent beachgoers from getting too close as the soldiers worked through colored smoke and onto the beach, while aircraft and helicopters circled overhead.

Participating nations included France, Italy, Cyprus, and Egypt, with the exercise taking place between September 10 and Friday. The drills come amid growing military cooperation among Mediterranean countries, spurred by geopolitical concerns such as wars, economic instability, and questions about the United States' role in the region.

Greece recently signed a 3 billion euro deal with Israel to develop a new air defense system called Achilles Shield, while Turkey, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia also recently signed a landmark defense agreement. The exercise was attended by observers from Serbia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Mozambique. Polish tourist Thanassis Stavrakis, who happened to be in the region for his vacation, expressed his delight at witnessing the spectacle, stating it was a rare and impressive sight to see during his trip.