Cyprus has called for urgent talks with the UK over the future of British military bases on the island, following a drone attack on RAF Akrotiri that has heightened security concerns. Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos told the Guardian that the Iranian-made drone which struck the airbase was launched from Lebanon, raising fears of Cyprus being drawn into the wider Iran conflict.
Protests have erupted in Nicosia, with demonstrators chanting “out with the bases of death” and marching to the presidential palace. Many Cypriots view the bases, established under a 1960 independence deal, as a threat to national security. “They are a danger to our security and should never have been here in the first place,” said protester Mathaios Stavrinides.
Kombos confirmed that two other combat drones were intercepted off the island shortly after the attack, also launched from Lebanon. He noted that Cypriot officials had repeatedly warned London about the risks to the bases since last year, but those warnings were unheeded. “We’ve consistently communicated that the bases could be a target,” he said.
The UK has since deployed additional air defence systems, including Royal Navy Wildcat helicopters and F-35 fighter jets, but the response has been criticised as insufficient. The destroyer HMS Dragon is not expected to arrive until late September. Kombos emphasised the need for a whole-of-Cyprus defence approach and continued pressure for NATO membership, despite Turkish opposition.
President Nikos Christodoulides has insisted Cyprus will not become involved in any military operations, as the government navigates its worst security crisis since the 1974 Turkish invasion. The UK retains 3% of Cyprus’s landmass for military purposes, with RAF Akrotiri serving as a key base for Middle East operations.
