Iranian-made drone strikes RAF Akrotiri; Typhoon shoots down second

The Ministry of Defence said a "suspected drone strike" impacted RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus at around midnight local time (22:00 GMT), causing minimal damage and prompting the relocation of family members and a temporary dispersal of non-essential personnel, British and Cypriot officials said.

An MoD spokesperson said: "Our armed forces are responding to a suspected drone strike at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus at midnight local time." The ministry added: "Our force protection in the region is at the highest level and the base has responded to defend our people." A separate MoD statement said: "Our base and personnel continue to operate as normal protecting the safety of Britain and our interests."

Cypriot president Nikos Christodoulides said the impacting unmanned aircraft was a Shahed drone manufactured by Iran and that it caused "minor material damage." He reiterated Cyprus's stance toward the wider confrontation, saying: "I want to be clear: Our country does not participate in any way and does not intend to be part of any military operation." Christodoulides also said Cyprus's forces were on "alert and in full operational readiness" and that he had been in contact with European leaders.

The Sovereign Base Areas Administration said it was planning the "temporary dispersal of non-essential personnel" from RAF Akrotiri Station and stressed that the notice applied only to the military base. The administration said there was no need for residents of the nearby Akrotiri village to leave and that "all other locations, workplaces, businesses and facilities will remain open as normal and there are no restrictions in place."

The ministry reported that an RAF Typhoon, operating from Qatar, shot down an Iranian drone during a defensive air patrol later on Sunday. British forces also said a counter-drone unit in Iraq had earlier taken down an Iranian drone that was heading toward a coalition base housing UK personnel. No casualties were reported.

The incident came hours after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer agreed to a US request to use British military bases for what were described as defensive strikes on Iranian missile sites. Starmer said he made the decision "to prevent Iran firing missiles across the region… killing innocent civilians … putting British lives at risk … and hitting countries that have not been involved."

Defence Secretary John Healey told Sky News that two ballistic missiles had been fired towards Cyprus but he was "pretty sure" they were not targeting the island. Senior European officials were briefed by the Cypriot presidency on developments.

Accounts differ over whether a single drone struck Akrotiri or whether two were involved and one was intercepted. Some reports described an intercepted drone and unconfirmed live observations pointed to flight-tracking anomalies and air traffic control chatter suggesting wider missile activity in the eastern Mediterranean. British officials have not publicly confirmed a multi-drone engagement at the base, and forensic identification of debris and launch origin remain unverified.

The attack is the most serious incident at the sovereign bases in decades. RAF Akrotiri, which covers a large peninsula in southern Cyprus, has long been a strategic hub for British operations in the region. UK officials are reportedly preparing contingency plans, including potential evacuation options for nationals in parts of the Middle East if regional airspace remains closed.

The MoD and Cypriot authorities said they will continue to provide updates as they assess damage, confirm the number and type of drones involved, and determine the origin of the attack.