​(Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser)
 
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, today (Saturday, 18 June 2016), ordered the dispatch of firefighting aircraft from Israel to assist in efforts to extinguish the major fire near Paphos, Cyprus.
 
The Foreign Ministry situation room received a request from Cyprus pursuant to the close relations between Cyprus and Israel and the regional alliance between them; there is also an agreement on emergency assistance.
 
Efforts are currently underway to organize the dispatch of a rescue team as well as additional firefighting aircraft.
 
During the fire on Mt. Carmel, Cyprus was one of the first countries to send a firefighting aircraft.