A suspected drone attack struck the UK's RAF Akrotiri base in Cyprus at around midnight on Sunday, prompting a partial evacuation of the facility. The one-way attack drone is believed to have been launched by Lebanon's Hezbollah, according to a Cypriot news agency, though the UK Ministry of Defence has not formally confirmed the source.
Two additional drones were intercepted on Monday morning, Cypriot authorities said, as part of what appears to be a sustained targeting of the base amid the ongoing Middle East conflict. Defence sources indicated the drone was likely a Shahed-type, a relatively cheap Iranian-designed one-way attack vehicle. Its parts have been recovered and are under investigation.
The Ministry of Defence confirmed the incident, stating: 'Our armed forces are responding to a suspected drone strike at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus at midnight local time. Our force protection in the region is at the highest level and the base has responded to defend our people.' No casualties have been reported, and damage is believed to be limited.
Family members of British military personnel have been asked to leave the base for their safety and will be relocated elsewhere in Cyprus. The drone strike occurred hours after Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the UK would allow the US to use British bases for strikes against Iranian missile sites, though officials said the drone was likely launched before that announcement.
Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides stated on Monday that the base was hit by an unmanned Shahed drone, causing minor material damage. He emphasised that Cyprus is not participating in any military operations. The UK retains sovereignty over RAF Akrotiri, which covers a peninsula on the southern tip of the island.
