Israel to send IAF jets to aid in extinguishing Cyprus wildfires

“Israel is preparing to provide aerial support to Cyprus in its battle against the fires sweeping the island,” the ministry shared on X.

Israel will send Air Force jets to Cyprus to assist in fighting the wildfires on Thursday night, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

“At the direction of Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, and in coordination with security and emergency authorities, Israel is preparing to provide aerial support to Cyprus in its battle against the fires sweeping the island,” the ministry wrote.

The ministry announced that Sa’ar and Cyprus Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos continue to maintain close and ongoing communication to ensure the aid is delivered and deployed as quickly as possible.

The aircraft are scheduled to depart this evening.

“The State of Israel stands with Cyprus, a close friend and neighbor, and remains committed to offering assistance in times of emergency,” the ministry concluded.

Cyprus assisted in Israel’s wildfires

In April, as wildfires spread across Israel, Sa’ar made numerous calls with his international counterparts, including those from Cyprus, to request assistance in combating the wildfires.

As part of international aid, Cyprus contributed to the effort with Air Tractor AT-802 planes similar to those used by Israel. This regional cooperation enabled a quicker and more effective response to cross-border emergencies, The Jerusalem Post previously reported.

Fire rages across Cyprus and Turkey

Firefighters across Turkey and Cyprus battled multiple wildfires on Thursday amid a searing Mediterranean heatwave that has scorched swathes of land and killed 10 firefighters in central Turkey.

At least six separate wildfires burned across Turkey and Turkish Agriculture and Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli warned that strong winds and scorching heat were creating extremely dangerous conditions.

Late on Wednesday, Yumakli said 10 firefighters were killed while battling a fire in the central Eskisehir province, adding that 14 others were injured. Fanned by strong winds, the fire later spread to another central province, Afyonkarahisar, while some towns and villages were evacuated.

In the northwestern province of Bilecik, fires raged for a fourth straight day, as firefighters struggled to contain them and evacuated several villages. Some residents were later allowed to return to areas declared safe.

“They couldn’t intervene. There is no decent road, forests are thick and it’s rocky. Helicopters don’t work at night, and because they don’t work, they couldn’t intervene,” said Cemil Karadag, a resident of the village of Selcik.

“It engulfed our village from two or three sides, they couldn’t intervene … It spread very quickly with the effect of the wind, but, thank God, (the centre of) our village wasn’t damaged that much.”

In the Black Sea province of Sakarya, a wildfire erupted even as firefighters worked to contain another nearby. A key highway was shut due to the blaze, while some villages and towns were evacuated.

Another fire in the neighbouring province of Karabuk, where the UNESCO World Heritage City of Safranbolu is located, quickly grew and led to 10 villages being evacuated, while a sixth blaze raged in the Western province of Manisa.