A Greek-operated Patriot battery in Saudi Arabia intercepted a swarm of drones on Thursday over the Yanbu area, home to major oil refineries, Greek security sources told Reuters. The unit fired three missiles in co-ordination with Saudi air defences. It was the third combat use of the Greek system since the US-Israeli war with Iran began. Greece has stationed the US-made battery and its crews in the kingdom since 2021 to help protect energy infrastructure.

The Greek financial site Bankingnews criticised the deployment, arguing that Athens is “wasting” Patriot missiles to shield Aramco facilities while Riyadh deepens defence ties with Turkey. On 7 August Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan signed a joint defence pact under which an attack on one is treated as an attack on all. The site asked why Greek air defences were being used to protect Saudi oil when Turkey remains Greece’s principal regional rival and tensions persist in the Aegean.