Turkish navy ships intercepted an Israeli research ship in Cypriot waters two weeks ago and drove it away, Channel 13 news reported Saturday, quoting senior Israeli officials.

H/T: The Times of Israel

Turkish ships chase Israeli ship out of Cyprus https://t.co/OKaXYTBVNQ — Tim Hogan (@TimInHonolulu) December 14, 2019

2 \ The unusual incident took place two weeks ago when the Israeli ship “Bat Galim” which is operated by the Israeli institute for Oceanographic research conducted its work in the Mediterranean near Cyprus — Barak Ravid (@BarakRavid) December 14, 2019

4 \ Israeli officials told me Turkish Navy ships sailed near the Israeli ship and approached its captain on the radio. The Turkish navy inquired about the work the Israeli ship was doing & then ordered it to leave the area even though it was in Cypriot economic waters — Barak Ravid (@BarakRavid) December 14, 2019

BREAKING: #Israel’s F-16 Jets are now flying over Turkey's Yavuz oil-and-gas drilling ship in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. Israel has said they will respond to Turkish aggression. - Evan Kokkinas of @pentapostagma — Paul Antonopoulos (@oulosP) December 15, 2019

🇹🇷🇮🇱 I checked reports of IAF fighters flying over #OsmanBey and #Vayuz Turkish offshore/drill ships. Israeli fighters can't be tracked on ADS-B, in contrast to IAF tanker 264. Closest: 95km from Vayuz.



MLAT coverage can be an issue, fighters may not have flown the same route. https://t.co/8uimLkpoFd pic.twitter.com/fTINedYcDC — Gerjon | חריון (@Gerjon_) December 15, 2019

Tomorrow, #Israeli Navy Sa'ar 5/6-class corvettes, Sa'ar 4.5-class missile boats & Dolphin-2 subs will be ready to sink any #Turkish Navy ship which might harass Bat-Galim research vessel. #IAF's F-35Is will shoot-down any #TurkishNavy & Air Force airplanes approaching the ship. https://t.co/xCVn0w2PR1 pic.twitter.com/qHB5fib8Wj — Babak Taghvaee (@BabakTaghvaee) December 14, 2019

Wonder if the rising tensions and recent territorial claims have anything to do with this? Hmmm.