The Ministry of National Defense is considering relocating a Patriot missile battery from Karpathos to the Souda naval base in Crete, according to sources familiar with the matter, as Athens reassesses regional security risks tied to the escalating Middle East conflict.
The potential move follows a Financial Times article, which reported that Iran has been examing the possibility to strike American targets in Europe, including in Cyprus and Bulgaria, if Washington intensifies its military campaign against Tehran.
Souda Bay, in the wider region of Chania is home to a NATO naval and air base. Sources said the Patriot battery, deployed to Karpathos since March, would be moved to Souda if the base is assessed to face a significant threat, in order to provide fuller coverage of its military installations.
Cyprus deployment continues
In Cyprus, the Greek deployment sent earlier this year remains in place. Fighter jets and a navy vessel are rotating through rather than being withdrawn, continuing to guard the island against a possible attack.
A renewed request for help from Bulgaria has not been ruled out, and Greece is prepared to respond if one comes.
Iran weighs wider retaliation
According to the Financial Times, Iran is assessing a full range of possible responses to any renewed offensive by the United States and Israel. Its options reportedly include damaging undersea fiber optic cables that run through the Strait of Hormuz, which would disrupt communications infrastructure that passes through the waterway.
One source told the newspaper that Tehran is developing plans to widen the conflict if the U.S. president follows through on earlier threats to strike Iranian infrastructure. A separate source said Iran could extend its retaliation beyond the Middle East if it faces another large scale American attack.
Source: tovima.com
