Greek authorities have detained a 36-year-old Georgian man on ​suspicion of spying on a U.S. naval base on ‌the island of Crete, a strategic facility for the United States in the eastern Mediterranean, Reuters reports, citing police and intelligence sources.

The man ​was detained at Athens’ airport on information by the ​country’s intelligence service.

Reuters explains that Souda Bay in Crete is home to ⁠military facilities for Greece, the U.S. and the NATO ​military alliance, and recently, the U.S. aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford had ​visited the base for resupply before sailing to the Middle East.

Greek authorities have launched an investigation into the case, the officials said, adding ​that digital evidence was being examined.

Photographs of the U.S. aircraft ​carrier were found on the suspect's phone and authorities were investigating potential ‌links ⁠with a person in Iran through a mobile application, a Greek intelligence source said.

The man, a Georgian national, arrived from Germany on February 3 and was staying at a hotel ​near Souda last ​month. He has ⁠not yet made any statement on the accusations, according to the sources.

In June, Greek police arrested ​another man on suspicion of espionage, who had ​also ⁠been staying for days at a hotel near the naval and air force base in western Crete that has tightened security since ⁠Israel ​and the U.S. launched strikes on ​Iran on Saturday. Authorities are investigating whether the two cases are linked.