The Greek Government, through the Hellenic Ministry of National Defence, will deploy warships and fighter aircraft to Cyprus to bolster the island nation's defence against external attack following the onset of renewed hostilities between the United States and Iran.
Greece's Defence Minister Nikos Dendias has stated that the Hellenic Navy's recently acquired FDI HN frigate HS Kimon, another frigate, and two Hellenic Air Force F-16 jets are being prepared for deployment to Cyprus after the latter country was targeted in a series of "unprovoked attacks" beginning on Sunday, March 1.
On that date, just one day after US and Israeli forces launched the air and missile strikes that started the current conflict with Iran, the British Royal Air Force (RAF) base at Akrotiri had been struck by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) of unknown origin. The BBC reported that there were no casualties and that the damage sustained was only "minimal."
On Monday, March 2, two UAVs, also of unknown origin, were successfully intercepted before they could reach RAF Akrotiri, a Cypriot Government spokesperson has confirmed.
The attacks occurred during the same period that Iran launched missiles and drones against some of its neighbours in the Middle East in retaliation for the US and Israeli strikes.
Mr Dendias said that he will travel to Cyprus later this week along with General Dimitrios Choupis, Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff, "to ensure better coordination of actions," with their counterparts there.
Like her FDI HN sisters, Kimon is equipped for air defence. The frigate's armament includes Aster and RAM surface-to-air missiles housed in 16 launch cells as well as two Oerlikon 20mm cannon fitted on remote weapon stations.