Two Greek warships arrived off Cyprus on Wednesday in a defensive deployment aimed at protecting the island from potential Iranian missile strikes and signaling Athens’ support for Nicosia amid escalating Middle East tensions.
The Greek Navy’s lead FDI HN frigate Kimon and the MEKO 200-class frigate Psara joined four F-16 Viper fighter jets already stationed at the Andreas Papandreou Air Base in Paphos. Greek officials said the deployment was largely symbolic, as any ballistic missile threat would likely be countered by U.S. forces in the region.
Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias, visiting Nicosia on Tuesday, said the deployment demonstrated Greece’s commitment to Cyprus. “For Greece, for Greek society, for the nation, Cyprus is not far away,” he said after meeting his Cypriot counterpart, Vasilis Palmas, and Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides, who thanked Athens for the military support.
In Athens, Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis downplayed the risk to the U.S. Souda Bay base, noting that Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities had not been tested at that range and were unlikely to target it. Greek Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Lana Zochiou emphasized that the deployment “has a purely defensive character and does not in any way constitute our involvement in the war.”
France has responded to Nicosia’s request by sending a frigate and plans to dispatch anti-missile and anti-drone systems, along with a second frigate. The United Kingdom is expected to send the destroyer HMS Dragon and helicopters to protect its Royal Air Force base at Akrotiri.
The deployments come as the Middle East conflict escalates following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, raising concerns among European countries about potential regional spillover.