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

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

The move comes amid heightened regional tensions and follows threats by senior Iranian officials against US military bases in Europe. Greece’s Defense Ministry and armed forces remain on heightened alert as authorities assess potential threats to critical infrastructure and military installations.

According to allied intelligence assessments, Iran still possesses a significant number of ballistic missiles with reported ranges exceeding 2,000 kilometers. Such capabilities could potentially place targets in southeastern Europe within range.

The Patriot battery had previously been deployed to Karpathos in March as part of Athens’ efforts to strengthen its defenses against potential ballistic missile threats.

Greek authorities are also maintaining close contact with the United States and Israel regarding possible threats to Greek and Cypriot military and critical infrastructure.

Athens is additionally considering providing assistance to Bulgaria’s air defense capabilities should Sofia formally request support.

Meanwhile, Greece is reviewing whether to extend or terminate the deployment of another Patriot unit in Saudi Arabia.

The Greek Patriot system has been stationed in the kingdom since September 2021 as part of an agreement aimed at strengthening Saudi Arabia’s air defense capabilities. During its deployment, the system has been involved in countering ballistic missiles and drones targeting Saudi infrastructure.

The developments reflect Greece’s efforts to reinforce its air defense posture as tensions involving Iran, the United States and Israel continue to raise security concerns across the wider region and southeastern Europe. (ILKHA)