In a successful operational engagement early Saturday morning (25 July), the Greek Patriot missile battery deployed in Saudi Arabia intercepted two ballistic missiles launched by Yemen’s Houthi movement. The interception occurred at 07:15 local time (Greek time) near Yanbu, a key oil refining hub on Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast where the Greek air defense unit is stationed.
Full Interception Amid Regional Tensions
According to an official statement from the Hellenic National Defence General Staff (GEETHA), the Greek Patriot unit—part of the multinational Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) initiative—achieved a 100% success rate against the incoming threat. The two missiles were aimed at critical infrastructure in the Yanbu industrial zone.
Prior to the attack, the Houthis had announced a missile strike on Jizan, a city in southern Saudi Arabia. Saudi authorities issued alerts for both Jizan and Yanbu, underscoring the heightened threat level across the southwestern border region.
Ongoing Mission Unaffected
The Greek Armed Forces’ deployment in Saudi Arabia—known as the Hellenic Force in Saudi Arabia (ELDYSA)—remains fully operational. The GEETHA confirmed that the incident has not disrupted ELDYSA’s mission, which supports Saudi air defense under the IAMD framework, a coordinated international effort involving several allied nations.