Greece moves Patriot battery to Crete amid Iran tensions

Greece is moving a Patriot air defense battery from the island of Karpathos to Crete to strengthen defenses around the strategically important Souda Bay area, according to sources cited by Kathimerini.

The battery, including personnel and equipment, was moved overnight and is expected to be deployed near the Souda military base.

The decision follows threats by senior Iranian officials against US bases in Europe and comes as Greece’s Defense Ministry and armed forces remain on heightened alert.

Greek officials are assessing the potential threat to critical infrastructure and military facilities as tensions rise between Iran, the United States and Israel.

Allied intelligence indicates Iran still has a significant number of ballistic missiles with a reported range exceeding 2,000 kilometers, potentially placing targets in southeastern Europe within range.

The Patriot battery had been deployed to Karpathos in March as part of Greece’s effort to strengthen protection against ballistic missile threats.

Athens is also in contact with the United States and Israel over potential threats to Greek and Cypriot facilities. Greece is considering possible assistance to Bulgaria’s air defenses if formally requested.

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