Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said on Wednesday that Israeli and Cypriot energy exploration in the Mediterranean was illegal, and an agreement should first be reached with all relevant parties, and resources equally shared. Turkey and Cyprus are in dispute over the energy resources in the eastern Mediterranean and Texas-based Noble Energy started drilling in September at a Cypriot offshore block abutting another block controlled by Israel. In September, Turkey began exploring for gas in an offshore zone where Cyprus had started drilling the previous week. Israel is also drilling nearby, and the issue has emerged as a further bone of contention between Turkey and the Jewish state. Ankara has therefore downgraded ties over Israel's refusal to apologize for a deadly raid last year on a Turkish aid flotilla. Israel has gradually boosted naval patrols around its Mediterranean natural gas fields for fear of guerrilla attacks and as the maritime rivalry with Turkey deepens. Missile boats have stepped up missions around the Tamar and Leviathan gas platforms over the past year, as well as coordination with private security firms contracted by the US-Israeli exploration consortium.