An Iranian drone crashed into a British military base in Cyprus, causing minor damage as regional tensions escalate.
NICOSIA: An Iranian drone crashed into a British military base in Cyprus on Monday, according to the island nation’s President Nikos Christodoulides.
The incident occurred minutes after midnight at the Royal Air Force Akrotiri base, a British overseas territory near Limassol, causing minor material damage.
President Christodoulides stated that the drone was a Shahed unmanned aerial vehicle which impacted the military facilities of the British Bases in Akrotiri.
He emphasised that Cyprus does not participate in and has no intention of joining any military operation, despite the region’s geopolitical instability.
The statement followed an earlier announcement from the British defence ministry confirming its forces were responding to a suspected drone strike at the base.
A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said force protection in the region was at the highest level and the base had responded to defend its people.
Britain had agreed on Sunday to allow the United States to use its military bases for defensive strikes against Iranian missiles and their launchers.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer stressed that Britain was not involved in initial strikes on Iran and would not join offensive action now.
He stated on social media that Britain was supporting the collective self-defence of allies and its people in the region against Iran’s scorched-earth strategy.
The incident marks a further spread of the Israeli-American conflict with Iran across the Middle East region.
