Oruc Reis

The American Jewish Committee and the Hellenic American Leadership Council called on US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to clarify that challenges to Greek and Cypriot sovereignty by Turkey "are unacceptable to the United States."

Any attack on a Turkish vessel engaged in energy exploration along Turkey's continental shelf in the Eastern Mediterranean will pay dearly, warned Turkey's president on Aug. 13. 

President Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday that any attack on a Turkish ship exploring for oil and gas in disputed Mediterranean waters would incur a "high price" and suggested Turkey had already acted on that warning.

Hours after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Greece had attacked the seismic survey vessel Oruc Reis, the Greek Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying that Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias will inform his European counterparts about "real events" and "operational incidents" of recent days in the Eastern Mediterranean on Friday.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday that any attack on a Turkish ship exploring for oil and gas in the Eastern Mediterranean waters would incur a "high price" and suggested Turkey had already acted on that warning.

Seismic vessel Oruc Reis entered Greek territorial waters on Thursday afternoon and is moving westward, within the area outlined by the Navtex issued by Turkey's navy on Monday.

The ship is accompanied by the auxiliary vessels Ataman and Cengiz Han and Turkish Navy ships. which in turn are monitored by the Greek Armed Forces.

Seismic vessel Oruc Reis switched course early Thursday morning and started moving southward, sailing 15 miles away from Greek territorial waters, according to the Hellenic Navy General Staff (HNGS).

The ship is shadowed by auxiliary vessels Ataman and Cengiz Han as well as some Turkish Navy ships.

With the Turkish Oruc Reis research vessel in the Greek continental shelf and the fleets of both countries in a tense standoff, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis sent a twofold message to Turkey on Wednesday stating that Greece is willing to have an honest dialogue, but will not back way from any challenge.

France will increase its military presence in the eastern Mediterranean, President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday, calling on Turkey to halt oil and gas exploration in disputed waters that has heightened tensions with Greece.

A Turkish research vessel sent by Ankara to conduct survey for energy resources south of the island of Kastellorizo was sailing outside of Greece's territorial waters, the Hellenic Navy General Staff (HNGS) said on Wednesday evening.

The ship is sailing northeast at a speed of 4 knots at the border of the Ankara's illegal maritime notice (Navtex).