A suspected unmanned drone struck Britain’s Royal Air Force base at Akrotiri in Cyprus overnight, causing limited damage but no casualties, officials said on Monday.
Cypriot authorities and the UK Ministry of Defence confirmed the incident, which triggered a security alert for residents near the base. People in the surrounding area were advised to remain indoors as a precaution following what officials described as a “suspected drone impact.”
Police check vehicles on the road leading to RAF Akrotiri, a British sovereign base in Cyprus, which was hit by an unmanned drone overnight, causing limited damage, Cyprus March 2, 2026. REUTERS/Yiannis Kourtoglou
UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper confirmed the drone strike targeted the base’s runway.
“We’re not able to provide further information and detail at this point, but obviously, all of the precautionary measures are being taken around the base,” Cooper said, speaking to Sky News.
A spokesperson for the Cyprus government said information gathered through multiple channels indicated the strike involved an unmanned drone. The extent of the damage was described as limited.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she had been briefed on the attack by Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides.
“While the Republic of Cyprus was not the target, let me be clear: we stand collectively, firmly and unequivocally with our Member States in the face of any threat,” she said in a statement on social media.
I talked with President @christodulides who briefed me on the single incident that occurred shortly after midnight involving an unmanned aerial vehicle targeting the British base in Akrotiri.
While the Republic of Cyprus was not the target, let me be clear: we stand…
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) March 2, 2026
RAF Akrotiri, located on the southern tip of Cyprus, is one of two sovereign base areas retained by Britain on the eastern Mediterranean island, which is a member of the European Union.
A fence of RAF Akrotiri, a British sovereign base in Cyprus, which was hit by an unmanned drone overnight, causing limited damage, Cyprus March 2, 2026. REUTERS/Yiannis Kourtoglou
The British bases administration issued the shelter-in-place advisory shortly after the incident, underscoring heightened security concerns in the area.
“Our base and personnel continue to operate as normal protecting the safety of Britain and our interests,” an MoD spokesperson said Monday morning, according to the BBC.
The Sovereign Base Areas Administration confirmed it was planning the “temporary dispersal of non-essential personnel” from RAF Akrotiri Station.
The notice applies only to the military base, officials said, adding that there is no need for residents to leave the nearby village of Akrotiri.
“All other locations, workplaces, businesses and facilities will remain open as normal and there are no restrictions in place,” the administration said in a statement.
The MoD said earlier it was moving families from the base as a precautionary measure.
The strike marks a rare direct attack on the installation, which spans a large, square-shaped peninsula. The last known attack on the base dates back to the mid-1980s, when it was targeted by Libyan militants.
