Greece is strengthening its air defenses after Iran threatened to attack US bases in Europe, moving a Patriot missile defense system from the island of Karpathos to the Souda naval base on the island of Crete.
The Greek daily Kathimerini reported this information.
According to the report, the move came within about 24 hours of senior Iranian officials threatening a possible attack on US bases in Europe.
The Greek Ministry of Defense and the General Staff of the Armed Forces have been on high alert since last week, reviewing the potential threat level and examining various measures to strengthen the security of critical infrastructure.
Kathimerini reported that the Patriot system, its necessary equipment and personnel departed from Karpathos in the early hours of the morning. The system was due to be operational in the greater Souda area within a few hours.
The Patriot system was deployed to Karpathos in March as part of a larger plan to protect all areas of the Athens Flight Information Region from potential ballistic missile attacks.
Athens is also concerned about Iran’s missile stockpile. According to the assessment of allies, Iran still has a significant number of ballistic missiles. Some of them have a range of more than 2,000 kilometers. As a result, various infrastructures in southeastern Europe could be covered by these missiles, the report noted.
Meanwhile, the country’s Defense Ministry is also considering the future of another Greek Patriot unit deployed in Yanbu, Saudi Arabia. The unit has been there since September 2021. A decision is being made on whether to extend the deployment or bring the unit back home.
Kathimerini reports that the unit is likely to be returned to Greece soon.
The Greek Patriot unit has intercepted ballistic missiles and drones fired by Iran and Yemen’s Houthi movement at energy facilities in western Saudi Arabia since the start of the US-Iran war.
