Turkey’s Efes-2026 Exercise Had Lemnos in Its Crosshairs
A photo published by Turkey's official Anadolu Agency has revealed that the Greek island of Lemnos was used as a target in Turkey's large-scale Efes-2026 amphibious military exercise. The image shows Turkish F-16 pilots from the 161st "Yarasa" (Bat) Squadron at Bandirma Air Base preparing for sorties on May 8, with a map of Lemnos clearly visible on the briefing screen behind them.
The exercise, which ran from April 11 to May 21, involved forces from 23 countries including the United States, Albania, Syria, and Libya, with military observers from an additional 22 nations including Germany, Spain, Qatar, and Brazil. The F-16 pilots were tasked with providing air escort and cover for amphibious landing operations, according to Greek reporting on the image. Lemnos sits just miles off the Turkish Anatolian coastline.
"Turkey's military is the most important guarantor of regional and global peace." — Erdogan
The revelation comes as Greek-Turkish diplomatic relations are already under severe strain. A pending Turkish law on maritime jurisdictions in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean has pushed tensions to a breaking point in recent weeks.
Anadolu's own caption described the planes departing Bandirma as part of EFES-2026, coordinated by the Turkish Ministry of National Defense at the 6th Main Jet Base Command in Balikesir. Erdogan himself attended the exercise and claimed Turkey's military is the "most important guarantor of regional and global peace."
The image was not flagged or hidden by Turkish authorities. Anadolu published it openly, with Lemnos on the screen in plain view.
