Greece moves Patriot to Crete as threats to US bases in Europe mount

Greece is relocating a Patriot air defence battery from the island of Karpathos to Crete to bolster protection around the strategically important Souda Bay area, according to sources cited by Kathimerini.

The battery, along with its personnel and equipment, was moved overnight and is expected to be deployed near the Souda military base. The move comes amid threats from senior Iranian officials targeting US bases in Europe, as Greece’s Defence Ministry and armed forces remain on heightened alert.

Greek authorities are assessing potential threats to critical infrastructure and military facilities as tensions continue to escalate between Iran, the United States and Israel. Allied intelligence assessments indicate that Iran still possesses a significant number of ballistic missiles with reported ranges exceeding 2,000 kilometres, potentially putting targets in southeastern Europe within reach.

The Patriot battery was initially deployed to Karpathos in March as part of Greece’s efforts to strengthen its defences against ballistic missile threats.

Athens is also coordinating with the United States and Israel over potential threats to Greek and Cypriot facilities, while Greece is considering providing assistance to Bulgaria’s air defences should Sofia formally request it.

Meanwhile, Athens is weighing whether to extend or end the deployment of its Patriot unit in Saudi Arabia, where it has been stationed since September 2021 and has intercepted ballistic missiles and drones targeting critical infrastructure.

By Jeyhun Aghazada