Cyprus’s foreign minister has raised doubts about the future of British military bases on the island following a drone strike on RAF Akrotiri last Sunday. Constantinos Kombos said there were “questions” and “concerns” about the bases, prompting a need for a “conversation” on the matter.
The attack, suspected to have been launched by Hezbollah in Lebanon, caused minimal damage and no casualties. However, it has triggered a diplomatic fallout, with Cypriot officials criticising Britain for failing to warn the island of the impending strike. The Cypriot president, Nikos Christodoulides, openly criticised the lack of timely warning to citizens near the base.
In a separate development, Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy erroneously described Cyprus as a Nato member during a television interview. Cyprus is one of four EU countries not in Nato. The British warship HMS Dragon, with air defence capabilities, is set to sail to Cyprus next week following criticism over the UK’s response to the attacks.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to Cyprus’s security, stating, “We will always act in the interest of the UK and our allies.”
