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Greece has begun withdrawing Patriot air defense systems from the island of Karpathos and relocating them to Souda Bay on Crete, Greek defense outlet OnAlert.gr reported Sunday.
The systems had been deployed to Karpathos during the Middle East crisis and left the island’s port early Sunday aboard a barge.
Souda Bay, on Crete’s northwestern coast, is a strategically important military hub used by Greece, the U.S., and NATO and hosts significant naval and air infrastructure.
The relocation comes amid heightened security concerns in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The Financial Times reported that Iran was considering possible strikes against U.S. targets in southeastern Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean.
Greek F-16 fighter jets deployed to Cyprus will remain on the island.
Athens is also prepared to consider a new request from Bulgaria for air and missile defense assistance if one is submitted.
Separately, Greek authorities are reviewing the future of a Patriot battery deployed in Saudi Arabia.
Officials are considering either extending the deployment for a short period or withdrawing the system.
A final decision is expected in the coming days and would require approval from Greece’s National Defense Council.
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