British families residing at a Royal Air Force base in Cyprus were startled awake by the alarming noise of a drone crash last night, amidst ongoing tensions in the Middle East.
Following a drone strike on the runway at RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus, late last night, relatives of British military personnel were swiftly evacuated from the base, which also accommodates two schools.
Iran continued its retaliatory actions in response to US and Israeli attacks, resulting in the demise of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei over the weekend. Tragically, at least three civilians lost their lives in the UAE.
The origin of the drone that hit the base, whether directly from Iran or through Tehran-supported proxies like Hezbollah in Lebanon, remains unclear. British families in Cyprus received a security alert advising them to seek shelter and avoid windows as a precautionary measure following the unexpected incident.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper revealed that a Shahed drone targeted the base’s runway, emphasizing that all necessary precautions were being taken at the base.
Although no casualties were reported, family members residing on the base were relocated to a safer area on the island. Air raid sirens were activated, and RAF Typhoons and F-35B Lightning jets were deployed alongside air refueling tankers.
Three British schools on the island, including those on RAF Akrotiri and Dhekelia Garrison, were promptly closed. The Ministry of Defense stated, “Our Armed Forces are responding to a drone strike at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus.”
The Cyprus government confirmed that the strike caused limited damage and reiterated the nation’s non-involvement in any military operations. The drone strike occurred after Sir Keir Starmer permitted the US military to utilize British airbases for defensive purposes in the Middle East.
Sir Keir emphasized that British forces would not engage directly in the strikes, which were solely for defensive measures against missile threats targeting Iran’s neighbors. The decision aimed to prevent civilian casualties and protect British lives from potential harm.
