Other allies to participate in Ankara's show of force included Azerbaijan, Germany, Qatar, Pakistan and Poland

Helicopters carried out mock raids, ships were deployed to a beach head and explosions


Turkey has carried out its largest-ever multinational military exercise with an astonishing display of land, sea and air drills over the Aegean Sea and coastal region of Izmir.

Featuring 860 personnel from eight countries, the drills saw military jets, landing ships, drones, howitzers and tanks combine to form a display of military power on the Turkish coast.

Attack helicopters carried out mock night-time raids, de-mining vehicles set off controlled explosions on land, and military equipment was delivered to the ground via the sea and air.

A massive explosion erupts in the Izmir district of Turkey after combat helicopters hit their targets during the huge military exercise

A combat plane drops ammunition during the exercise, which saw eight countries militaries take part in a co-ordinated live drill

Soldiers inside an armored vehicle are pictured in action during the so-called Efes-2016 Combined Joint Live Fire Exercise

Combat helicopters pass over a structures built at a live fire ground near the Turkish coastal city of Izmir today

Helicopters collect soldiers after landing in a field during the drills, which saw 860 military personnel participating

A target area is destroyed in a massive explosion after it is struck by missiles fired by attack helicopters

A missile fired from above is seen detonating a section of land as the live fire drills were watched by observers from 79 countries

The nations participating in the event included Saudi Arabia, Germany, the United States, Azerbaijan, Britain, Qatar, Pakistan and Poland.

According to hurriyetdailynews, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and observers from 79 different countries attended the live exercise.

The drills, which are due to end on June 4, come as the region remains mired in fierce political tensions while the war and refugee crisis in Syria and Iraq rages next door.

NATO member Turkey is part of the U.S.-led coalition against ISIS in Syria and is also a vocal opponent of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. However, Russia backs Assad - putting the two countries in conflict - but says it also supports the Syrian Kurds in the struggle against ISIS.

Relations between Ankara and Moscow hit their worst point in recent memory after Turkey shot down the Russian plane over Syria last year, prompting a raft of sanctions from Russia.

Moscow has accused Ankara of hindering Kurdish forces in their battle against ISIS and of using the fight against terrorism as a pretext to crack down on Kurdish organisations in Syria and Turkey.

Snipers hide in shrubs while wearing camouflage gear during the drills which were led by NATO member Turkey

Two Turkish soldiers charge up a hill with their weapons drawn while three huge landing ships are visible in the background

Participants are seen watching the exercises from the safety of a set of marquees erected on a nearby hillside

A combat helicopter opens fire while flying through the air above Izmir and the Aegean Sea today

Observers and members of the press film the proceedings from the vantage point of a hill while a helicopter flies overhead

A Turkish soldier is seen crawling through the dirt during the exercises which were the biggest joint military drill in Turkey's history

Combat jets dropped missiles during the live-fire exercises, which were held amid increasing tensions centering on Turkey

Warships are seen forming a beach head and deploying tanks and ATVs onto the sand in this dramatic picture

The warships were tasked with deploying additional troops and equipment while observers from dozens of countries watched on

The exercises, called 'Efes-2016', started at May 4 and will be finished on June 4. They are aimed at training members in combined and joint operations

The military drills took place in the Izmir district of Turkey, which is located on its western coast by the Aegean Sea

Among the nations taking part in the exercise were the U.S, Britain, Saudi Arabia, Poland, Germany, Qatar and Azerbaijan