Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias on Wednesday firmly rejected political claims that two of the drones recently intercepted over Cyprus were actually en route to strike the strategic U.S. and NATO naval base at Souda Bay in Crete.
During a televised interview, Mr. Dendias directly countered alarming assertions made by Communist Party leader Dimitris Koutsoumpas.
Earlier in the day, Mr. Koutsoumpas told reporters that his party had information indicating the drones downed near the British Akrotiri base were vectoring toward the Greek island.
"We have no such intelligence—and we'd know," Mr. Dendias said, dismissing the claim. He emphasized that Greek military radar systems continuously monitor all aerial trajectories originating from Lebanon and Iran.
The defense minister further dismissed the feasibility of a direct strike on Souda Bay, noting the extreme flight range required and Greece's robust, layered air defenses.
To solidify this shield amid escalating Middle East tensions, Athens has recently deployed new anti-aircraft batteries to the southeastern island of Karpathos, alongside warships equipped with advanced surface-to-air missiles.
Mr. Dendias stressed that the military's immediate operational priority remains securing Cyprus, where Greece has rapidly deployed combat-ready F-16 fighter jets and the naval frigates HNLS Kimon and Psara.
While Souda Bay remains on high alert following the recent arrests of two suspected foreign spies near the installation, Mr. Dendias assured the public that the broader Aegean region remains heavily protected. "Greece is secure," he said.