MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Iran hits UK’s RAF Akrotiri base in EU-member Cyprus after Starmer announces support for US

The strike came hours after Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Britain had accepted a U.S. request to use UK bases for “defensive” missions aimed at Iranian missile depots or launchers

An Iranian-made drone struck the UK’s RAF Akrotiri airbase in Cyprus overnight, causing no casualties and only limited damage, in an incident that brought the Middle East conflict directly onto European Union territory. British authorities raised force-protection measures and ordered non-essential personnel to leave and disperse, while the base continued operating, according to official information reported by Reuters.

The strike came hours after Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Britain had accepted a U.S. request to use UK bases for “defensive” missions aimed at Iranian missile depots or launchers. Starmer said the move was intended to prevent Iran from “firing missiles across the region” and to protect British lives, describing it as collective self-defence consistent with international law, Reuters reported.

Reuters said the drone caused limited damage — including minor runway-related impact — and that two additional UAVs were later intercepted before reaching the base. The UK Ministry of Defence said the base and personnel were operating normally as counter-drone and air-defence posture was tightened.

Greece, meanwhile, said it would send two frigates and two F-16 fighter jets to help protect Cyprus. Defence Minister Nikos Dendias said Greece was prepared to defend Cyprus “by any possible means,” according to Reuters reporting.

The incident unfolds amid a wider regional escalation following large-scale strikes on Iran and subsequent Iranian reprisals across the Gulf. London maintains it is not directly participating in offensive operations, but is expanding support and defensive deployments around key bases such as Akrotiri.