Greece moves Patriot battery to Crete amid Iranian threats to US bases

Greek media reports indicate that the country has relocated a Patriot air defense battery from the island of Karpathos to Crete to bolster defenses around the strategically important Souda Bay area in northwestern Crete. The decision follows threats by senior Iranian officials against U.S. bases in Europe, leaving Greek military forces on heightened alert. Assessments suggest that Iran retains a significant number of ballistic missiles with ranges exceeding 2,000 kilometers, potentially putting targets in southeastern Europe within reach. Athens is reportedly in contact with the United States and Israel regarding potential threats to facilities in Greece and Cyprus and is considering assisting Bulgaria with its air defense systems. Meanwhile, Bulgaria announced that two U.S. military refueling aircraft, whose presence at Bezmer Air Base had drawn ire from Tehran, have been evacuated to another location. Bulgarian Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov confirmed the move days after the Financial Times reported that Iran was considering targeting U.S. assets in southeastern Europe. Domestically, Iran continues to face a deepening economic crisis, with the U.S. dollar reaching 2 million rials on the free market, marking a rise of over 7% in less than a week.