Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan warned Greece on Saturday that it will pay a "heavy price" if it persists with alleged airspace violations over the Aegean Sea that separates the two NATO members and neighbours.
"Hey Greece, take a look at history. If you go too far, the price will be heavy," Erdoğan told a defence systems exhibition in the Black Sea province of Samsun.
Erdoğan was referring to Turkish claims that Greece recently targeted Turkish jets with its S-300 air defence system.
Erdoğan underlined in his speech that Greece on Saturday, saying Athens occupying islands does not bind Türkiye.
"When the time comes, we will do what's necessary," Erdoğan said, speaking at the TEKNOFEST technology event in Samsun.
"As we say, all of a sudden, we can come overnight," he stressed.
Erdoğan further urged Greece to be cautious, reminding it of history, saying "We have only one sentence for Greece: Don't forget Izmir," referring to the province in the Western Türkiye liberated from Greek occupation in 1922.
"If you go further, the price will be heavy."
State news agency Anadolu, among others, reported last week that Turkish jets, flying in international airspace, had been "harassed" by the Greek defence system stationed on Crete, citing the Defence Ministry in Ankara.
Relations between the two countries are at a nadir due to a series of conflicts, chief among which is the mutual accusation that each violates the other's airspace.
Türkiye also points out that Greece is illegally arming its islands in the east of the Aegean Sea, which is prohibited under the 1923 treaty of Lausanne and the 1947 treaty of Paris.
"Your occupation of the islands doesn't bind us. We will do what is necessary when the time comes. As we say, we can come suddenly one night," Erdoğan further said, without elaborating.
