A Turkish-Greek crisis in the Aegean Sea over an electric cable project, an Israeli killing of an infiltrator in Syria, and the resignation of the Iranian Oil Minister

A new crisis between Turkey and Greece heralds a confrontation between their fleets in the Aegean Sea, against the backdrop of Athens’ announcement of its readiness to resume the “Great Marine Electrical Interconnection” project, via a cable extending under the waters of the Mediterranean Sea to Cyprus and all the way to Israel.

Turkey issued a maritime navigation notice (NAFTEX) regarding military maneuvers in 5 regions in the central sector of the Aegean Sea, between September 25 and October 27, while Greece issued a counter-notice covering the period from October 12 to 20. Türkiye insists on the need to coordinate with it regarding the route of the electric cable and obtain written approval to begin its implementation, which Greece rejected. The Turkish Ministry of Defense reiterated that any unauthorized activities will not be permitted.

The Israeli army announced, at dawn on Monday, that it had killed a “snatcher” who tried to sneak into a military position within the security zone it occupies in southern Syria.

The army said in a statement: “A short while ago, IDF soldiers spotted a suspect trying to infiltrate a military site within the security zone in southern Syria.” He added, "After a quick identification operation, the soldiers opened fire on the suspect and killed him," noting that there were no casualties among his members.

After the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in December 2024, Israeli forces penetrated outside the buffer zone adjacent to the Golan Heights, reaching Mount Hermon separating Lebanon and Syria, and announced their intention to establish a demilitarized zone in southern Syria. Officials in Tel Aviv stress that Israeli forces do not intend to withdraw from the area.

Since then, Israel has launched hundreds of raids on Syria, focused on military targets, and said that their aim was to prevent the new authorities from seizing the former army’s arsenal.

Iranian state media reported on Sunday that Iranian Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad has resigned, and that Hamid Bouvard, CEO of the state-owned National Iranian Oil Company, will take over as acting minister.

Mehdi Tabatabai, deputy head of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian's office for communications affairs, said in a statement to state television that Pakinejad resigned for personal reasons that had existed "for a long time," adding that the president accepted his resignation after the minister's insistence, according to what was reported by Reuters news agency.

Mohsen Paknejad took over the Ministry of Oil in Iran, a member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), in August 2024, and his resignation comes in light of the pressures of the war that has been ongoing between Iran and the United States for seven months on the country’s economy.

The official media quoted an official in the office of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian as saying: “After Dr. Pezeshkian accepted Mohsen Paknejad’s resignation, Hamid Bouvard was appointed acting oil minister.”

Before announcing his resignation, the official media quoted Paknejad as saying: “The revenues from the oil we sold are still continuing, and they will continue, God willing.”