British families residing at a Royal Air Force base in Cyprus were jolted awake by the alarming noise of a drone crashing to the ground last night amidst the ongoing turmoil in the Middle East.
Following an incident where a one-way attack drone struck the runway at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus around midnight local time, family members of British military personnel were swiftly evacuated from the base, which also houses two schools.
In response to US and Israeli strikes that resulted in the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday, Iran carried out retaliatory actions, leading to the loss of at least three lives in the UAE.
The origin of the drone that hit the base is yet to be confirmed, whether launched directly from Iran or through Tehran-backed proxies like Hezbollah in Lebanon. British families in Cyprus received a security alert post-attack instructing them to seek shelter and avoid windows as a precautionary measure taken by the UK.
Yvette Cooper, the Foreign Secretary, mentioned that the Shahed drone targeted the base’s runway, emphasizing that all necessary precautions were being implemented.
Although the exact source of the drone launch remains unclear, British schools on the island, including those on RAF Akrotiri, have been closed immediately. Family members residing on the base are being relocated to a safer area on the island as a safety measure.
Amidst the escalating tensions, Sir Keir Starmer granted permission for US forces to utilize British bases to counter missile and drone strikes on allies in the Middle East, with a focus on defensive actions against threats to neighboring countries of Iran.
The strike involving an unmanned drone caused limited damage, as confirmed by a spokesperson for the Cyprus government, who reiterated the country’s stance of non-participation in military operations.
The decision to permit the use of British airbases by the US military, as announced by Sir Keir Starmer, aims to prevent civilian casualties and protect British interests from potential threats in the region.