Greece and the United Arab Emirates have begun joint air force drills in the eastern Mediterranean as part of the latest military build-up in a region where Greece and Turkey have disagreements over seabed mining rights, AP reported.

The training flights began on Friday, a day after the UAE completed the transfer of nine F-16 fighters and four transport aircraft to a Greek airbase in Crete, the Greek Defense Ministry said.

Amid the aggravation of the situation, Greece and Turkey have conducted several military drills in the area in recent weeks, and others will follow.

France, Italy, and the UAE have joined recent military drills and training missions conducted by Greece and its ally Cyprus, while the US has also conducted separate drills with Greece.