Akrotiri, Cyprus, March 2 (Reuters) – The British Royal Air Force base in Akrotiri, Cyprus, was attacked by a drone at night, causing limited damage and no casualties, the Cypriot president and the British Ministry of Defense said on Monday.
It was the first attack on a British military installation since a rocket attack by Libyan militants in 1986, and marked a significant escalation in the conflict.
“All authorities in the republic are on alert and ready for full action,” President Nicos Christodoulides said in his speech.
He added that the Shahed-type drone crashed into the military facility at 12:03 a.m., causing minor damage.
“I want to make it clear: our country is not involved in any way and does not intend to be part of any military operation,” Christodoulides said.
It is unclear where the Iranian-made Shahd was launched. A second drone was intercepted at a British base, two sources told Reuters on condition of anonymity.
While the bases are considered sovereign British territory, Cyprus itself is an EU member state and currently holds the EU’s rotating presidency.
Akrotiri, southwest of the sprawling coastal city of Limassol, is one of two bases Britain has retained in the former colony since independence in 1960. In addition to military installations, it also houses the families of active duty military personnel.
Base authorities advised residents near Akrotiri to shelter in place until further notice after a “suspected drone strike”, later adding that non-essential personnel would be dispersed while other UK facilities would operate as normal.
Akrotiri is located on a square peninsula at the southern tip of Cyprus and has been used in military operations in Iraq, Syria and Yemen in the past.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Sunday that Britain had accepted a request from the United States to use its bases to conduct defensive strikes against Iranian missile depots or launchers.
(Reporting by Devika Nair in Bengaluru, Michele Kambas in Nicosia and Yiannis Kourtoglou in Akrotiri; Editing by Himani Sarkar, Jacqueline Wong and Clarence Fernandez)
