Akrotiri, 2 March: Two unmanned aerial vehicles were intercepted en route to RAF Akrotiri on Monday, Cypriot officials said, hours after a suspected Iranian drone struck the British base overnight, causing minor damage but no casualties.
President Nikos Christodoulides said a Shahed-type UAV crashed into the installation shortly after midnight (22:00 GMT). “All the competent services of the republic are on alert and in full operational readiness,” he said, adding that Cyprus “does not participate in any way and does not intend to be part of any military operation.”
Base authorities described an “ongoing security threat,” instructing staff to shelter in place and temporarily dispersing non-essential personnel and families as a precaution. A separate alarm was raised at Paphos International Airport following reports of a suspected drone in the airspace.
The UK Ministry of Defence confirmed a “live situation” during the incident and said force protection measures were at their highest level. An RAF Typhoon operating in the region downed an Iranian drone during a defensive patrol, the ministry added.
London frames role as defensive
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Britain had approved a US request to use UK bases for “defensive” action, citing “collective self-defence” and the need to protect British lives. He stressed the UK would not join offensive operations and said the government had learned from the “mistakes of Iraq.”
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper condemned what she called the “reckless” conduct of the Iranian regime, pointing to drone and missile strikes across Gulf partners. Defence Secretary John Healey warned that British personnel in the Middle East face risks from “indiscriminate attacks,” noting that two ballistic missiles were fired toward Cyprus, though the island was unlikely to have been the intended target.
Brussels backs member state
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU stands “collectively, firmly and unequivocally” with its member states against threats, underscoring that Cyprus itself was not targeted.
Escalation follows US–Israel strikes
The incident unfolds amid intensifying hostilities after US and Israeli strikes on Iranian leadership and military sites. Tehran has responded with ballistic missiles and drones aimed at US assets and regional allies.
RAF Akrotiri, one of two UK sovereign bases retained since Cyprus’s independence, has previously supported operations in Iraq, Syria and Yemen. UK officials indicated that additional facilities, including RAF Fairford and Diego Garcia, could be made available for defensive missions.
While damage at Akrotiri was limited, the strike marks the first known drone impact on the base and signals a widening arc of risk as the confrontation enters its third day. Cypriot authorities said they would seek formal clarifications from London regarding local coordination and information-sharing during the episode.
