Greece deploys Patriot missiles in Crete in response to Iranian threats
Greece transferred Patriot missile batteries on Monday from the island of Karpathos, in the country’s far east, to the island of Crete, amid Iranian threats to target U.S. military bases in Europe.
The transfer operation began on Sunday morning, when the convoy left the port of Karpathos aboard a ferry, according to Greek media outlets, which published images showing the missile batteries mounted on trucks at the port while awaiting loading.
The missile batteries will be moved to Crete, home to the Souda military facility, which hosts the largest U.S. and NATO military base in the eastern Mediterranean.
According to media reports, the redeployment follows reports that Iran is considering attacks against U.S. military targets in Europe if President Donald Trump escalates the war in the Strait of Hormuz.
The Greek Ministry of Defense has not commented on the matter.
Last week, the British newspaper Financial Times reported, citing Iranian sources, that Tehran would no longer limit its response to the Middle East as part of its conflict with the United States and was considering targeting U.S. facilities in Europe in the event of another U.S. military escalation.
According to the sources, Iranian forces had assessed the possibility of targeting U.S. installations in the Balkans and around the Mediterranean, with particular attention to Bulgaria, where the use of Bezmer Air Base was authorized to refuel U.S. aircraft from July to October 2026, and Cyprus, where a British base was targeted by a drone strike in March.
Greece hosts several U.S. military bases, including one in Alexandroupoli in the north of the country and another at Souda on the island of Crete.
The Greek newspaper Kathimerini reported that the Ministry of Defense and the General Staff had been placed on “maximum alert” since the Financial Times report was published.
The newspaper explained that the decision to deploy a Patriot battery to Crete was heavily influenced by an assessment of Iran’s missile arsenal. According to intelligence provided by Athens’ allies, Iran still possesses a sufficient number of ballistic missiles with ranges exceeding 2,000 kilometers, capable of striking bases and infrastructure in southeastern Europe.
Patriot missiles had previously been transferred to the island of Karpathos, near Turkey, in March.
Greece also sent F-16 fighter jets and a frigate equipped with a drone-neutralization system to Cyprus in March, following an attack carried out by Lebanon’s Hezbollah against the British base at Akrotiri on the island.
