An Iranian-manufactured Shahed drone struck the runway at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus just after midnight on Monday, the first direct attack on the British installation since pro-Libyan militants hit the base in August 1986. Cypriot forces intercepted two additional inbound drones later that morning.
Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides said the one-way attack drone impacted military facilities at 12:03 a.m. local time, resulting in minor structural damage. UK Defence Secretary John Healey confirmed no personnel were injured, according to BBC.
“Our force protection in the region is at the highest level and the base has responded to defend our people,” a Ministry of Defence spokesperson stated.
Regarding the incident that occurred shortly after midnight at the Akrotiri Base, information received through various channels indicates that it involved an unmanned drone, which caused limited damage.
The competent authorities immediately activated the prescribed security…
— Λετυμπιώτης Κων/νος (@letymbiotis) March 2, 2026
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper told Sky News that precautionary measures were underway across the installation. Healey added that families stationed at Akrotiri were being relocated to temporary accommodation elsewhere on the island.
The strike followed Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s decision to reverse an earlier refusal and authorize U.S. forces to conduct defensive strikes against Iranian missile sites from British bases. UK officials assessed that the drone was launched before Starmer announced the policy change.
“We are not joining the US and Israeli offensive strikes,” Starmer told Parliament. “The basis of our decision is the collective self-defence of longstanding friends and allies.”
Greece responded by dispatching two frigates and two F-16 fighter jets to reinforce Cypriot airspace, according to Politico.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that the EU stands “collectively, firmly and unequivocally” with its member state.
I talked with President @christodulides who briefed me on the single incident that occurred shortly after midnight involving an unmanned aerial vehicle targeting the British base in Akrotiri.
While the Republic of Cyprus was not the target, let me be clear: we stand…
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) March 2, 2026
The drone’s exact launch location has not been independently verified. RAF Akrotiri, situated on a peninsula at Cyprus’s southern tip, serves as Britain’s principal forward operating base for Middle East operations.
