Published 8 days ago • loading... • Updated 6 days ago

Britain says it’s not at war after a drone strikes its Akrotiri base in Cyprus

On Monday, Britain said it was not at war after a drone struck the runway at RAF Akrotiri late on Sunday, causing no injuries and minimal damage.
Defensive deployments and Iraq-era memories have shaped officials' reluctance to escalate, with Britain last month deploying extra F-35 fighter jets plus radar and counter-drone systems as defensive measures.
Some 12 hours later, sirens sounded and two Typhoon fighter jets plus a pair of F-35 warplanes scrambled, while base authorities at RAF Akrotiri warned residents and moved families of UK personnel to nearby accommodation.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said `We are not joining these strikes,' while John McDonnell warned `We are being drawn in, just as we were in Iraq.'
Britain insists its bases cannot be used for political or economic strikes in Iran; it did not join Saturday's strikes and barred US use of UK bases in England and Diego Garcia to avoid wider Middle East escalation.

Insights by Ground AI

17 Articles

Al Jazeera

Lean Left

UK, France send warships, air defence assets to Cyprus after drone attack

The development comes after an Iranian-made drone crashed into the UK’s military base in Cyprus.

6 days ago·Qatar

Read Full Article

censor.net

Lean Left

The Drone that Attacked the British Base in Cyprus Could Contain the Russian Cometa-M System,

The wreckage of the Shahed-136 drone that attacked RAF Akrotiri airbase could have contained a Cometa-M4 radio-protected CRPA antenna.

7 days ago

Read Full Article

Newsmax

Right

Britain Says It's Not at war after a Drone Strikes Its Akrotiri Base in ...

8 days ago·Washington, United States

Read Full Article

Euronews

Center

UK says it is not at war after Iranian drone strikes Cyprus RAF base

Akrotiri is the UK's main air base for operations in the Middle East and in recent years has been used for missions against the so-called IS group in Syria and Iraq and to strike Houthi targets in Yemen.

8 days ago·France

Read Full Article

Associated Press News

+4 Reposted by 4 other sources

Lean Left

Britain says it’s not at war after a drone strikes its Akrotiri base in Cyprus

Britain says it is not at war, despite an Iranian-made drone strike on a U.K. base in Cyprus and a decision to let the U.S. use British bases during its conflict with Iran.

8 days ago·United States

Read Full Article

Evening Standard

Center

RAF base in Cyprus hit by drone as local residents evacuated amid new security threat

Suspected strike on RAF Akrotiri comes just hours after Sir Keir Starmer said the UK had allowed the US to strike Iranian missile sites from British bases

8 days ago·London, United Kingdom

Read Full Article

Think freely.Subscribe and get full access to Ground NewsSubscriptions start at $9.99/year