The Greek Patriot missile battery stationed in Saudi Arabia participated in an operation on Thursday to shoot down enemy Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV). The move was part of an international Integrated Air Missile Defence (IAMD) mission for the support of the Saudi Kingdom’s air defense.
According to military sources quoted by AMNA, the Hellenic Force in Saudi Arabia (ELDYSA) fired three guided missiles from the Patriot battery during the engagement. The enemy targets were dealt with jointly and in cooperation with Saudi air defense systems, the sources clarified. Greece’s participation is part of ELDYSA’s mission and the cooperation of Greek and Saudi Arabia air defense systems for the protection of Saudi Arabia’s air space, per the same sources. Earlier this year, ELDYSA intercepted a total four enemy ballistic missiles targeting Saudi refineries. Two of them were launched from Iran,on March 19, while two were from Yemen on July 25.
The arrangement for the deployment of a Greek Patriot missiles battery in Saudi Arabia stems from a bilateral agreement between Athens and Riyadh to enhance the Saudi Kingdom’s air and missile defense capabilities under the international “Integrated Air and Missile Defence Concept” (IAMD Concept). ELDYSA personnel were first deployed to Saudi Arabia in 2021.
The interception of two Iranian ballistic missiles by the Greek Patriot battery in Saudi Arabia in March triggered a heated political confrontation in Athens. Despite government assurances that the move was one limited to defense purposes, the opposition warned that the interception was potentially dragging Greece into the Middle East War.
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