An Iranian drone struck the runway of a UK military base in Cyprus on Monday, prompting the European Union to pledge strong support for member states as tensions from the US-Israeli conflict with Iran escalate.
Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides said that just after midnight (2200 GMT), “a Shahed unmanned aerial vehicle crashed into the military facilities of the British Bases in Akrotiri, causing minor material damage.”
Britain’s Foreign Minister, Yvette Cooper, confirmed the drone had hit a runway. “This is an unmanned drone strike specifically on the airport runway… all precautionary measures are being taken around the base,” she told Sky News.
The European Union, of which Cyprus is a member, reacted swiftly. EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said after talks with Christodoulides, “While the Republic of Cyprus was not the target, let me be clear: we stand collectively, firmly and unequivocally with our Member States in the face of any threat.”
Christodoulides added, “We are in a region of particular geopolitical instability with many challenges and problems, which is going through an unprecedented crisis. Our homeland does not participate in any way and does not intend to be part of any military operation.”
On Sunday, Britain agreed to allow the United States to use British military bases in the region to carry out “defensive” strikes aimed at destroying Iranian missiles and launchers.
The Royal Air Force Akrotiri base, a British overseas territory near the southern coastal city of Limassol, will be part of that coordination.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer stressed that Britain was “not involved in the initial strikes on Iran and we will not join offensive action now. But Iran is pursuing a scorched-earth strategy, so we are supporting the collective self-defence of our allies and our people in the region,” he said in a post on X.
AFP
