Greece Moves Patriot Missiles to Protect US Base in Crete

The Military of Greece relocated a Patriot missile interceptor battery from the island of Karpathos to Crete on Monday to bolster air defenses around the Souda Bay military base. The move follows threats from senior Iranian officials to target United States military facilities in Europe if President Donald Trump increases military pressure regarding the Strait of Hormuz.

Souda Bay serves as a strategic naval and air facility for the Greek Armed Forces, the United States, and NATO. Allied intelligence reports indicate that Iranian ballistic missiles with ranges exceeding 2,000 kilometers could potentially reach targets in southeastern Europe. While the Greek defense ministry has not officially commented on the transfer, authorities are coordinating with the United States and Israel to assess threats to critical infrastructure in Greece and Cyprus.

Regional tensions have also affected Bulgaria, where the government relocated two U.S. KC-135 aerial refueling aircraft from Bezmer Air Base to an undisclosed location. This action followed accusations from Iran that Bulgaria was complicit in American military operations. Greece is currently considering providing air-defense assistance to Bulgaria should a formal request be made.