The British Royal Air Force base at Akrotiri in Cyprus was struck by a suspected unmanned aerial vehicle around midnight local time Sunday, causing minimal damage but no injuries, officials reported, fueling fears that the current hostilities in the Middle East might spill over into Europe.
The incident comes at a time when tensions in the region have risen following a series of strikes targeting Iran and the retaliation that has followed.
According to a statement by the Cypriot government, two other drones were intercepted early Monday morning before they reached the base.
The Foreign Ministry in Nicosia stated that the two unmanned aerial vehicles “were traveling in the direction of the British base” when they were “successfully neutralized.” It did not specify the manner by which the interception was done or the technology used for the purpose.
The British authorities and the Ministry of Defence of the United Kingdom did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the matter on Monday.
The confirmed drone crash on Sunday at the RAF Akrotiri, which is a British base located on the southern coast of the Republic of Cyprus near the city of Limassol, prompted security advisories for people within and outside the facility.
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The Sovereign Base Areas Administration issued an advisory for workers within the British base to take cover from the confirmed drone crash.
It instructed them to “stay away from windows and take cover behind the furniture” as a precautionary measure against further attacks from other drones.
Sirens were heard within nearby communities after the sound of explosions was heard.
The officials stated that the damage was minimal, and emergency services were present at the base to oversee the response.
The Cypriot authorities stated that the national security council met to oversee the situation and keep communication channels open with the British.
According to the Cypriot newspaper Cyprus Mail, the staff were initially ordered to stay at home and await further instructions following the incident.
In addition to the incidents at the Akrotiri base, there were alerts raised at the Paphos International Airport in the neighboring area on Monday following the spotting of what authorities referred to as a “suspected drone” in the area.
The United States embassy in the country also sent out an alert, warning American citizens of the possible drone threat in the Paphos area.
The suspected attack on the RAF Akrotiri was part of a sudden escalation of hostilities in the Middle East that began on Saturday, with the United States and Israeli forces launching coordinated attacks on Iranian leadership and military positions, which Tehran has described as unprecedented.
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was reportedly killed in the initial attack by United States and Israeli forces.
Iran responded by launching ballistic missiles and drones targeting United States positions and those of its allies across the Middle East, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan.
The British Defence Secretary, John Healey, said on Sunday that ballistic missiles had been fired towards Cyprus although his team was “pretty sure” that the British bases had not been targeted.
During a subsequent call with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said that Cyprus was not targeted by Iran’s retaliation.
This new development has seen Starmer’s administration respond by recalibrating their stance on the conflict.
The Prime Minister announced on Sunday evening that the United Kingdom had given permission to the United States to use their military bases for “defensive” strikes on Iranian missile sites, including those that are deployed or are depots.
He emphasized that although British jets were taking part in defensive operations, including intercepting enemy drones and missiles, the UK was not a participant in initial operations carried out by the US and Israel on Iranian targets.
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The foreign secretary of the country, Yvette Cooper, mentioned on Monday while appearing on BBC Breakfast that the investigations regarding the Akrotiri case are still underway, with officials from the Ministry of Defense studying information regarding the source, flight path, and timing of the drones.
“We have seen the Iranian strikes — drone strikes and missile strikes — across Gulf partners,” she mentioned while highlighting that even countries which are not part of the conflict zone are being targeted by Iran.
“It really shows the seriousness of the reckless way the Iranian regime is behaving,” she further stated.
European countries and institutions responded to the recent events as well.
The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, mentioned that she received information from Christodoulides regarding the recent events and stated that while the Republic of Cyprus is not directly affected by the conflict, the European Union “firmly and unequivocally stands with our Member States in the face of any threat.”