Non-essential personnel to leave UK airbase in Cyprus after drone strike

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 3 min read 100% complete by Guardian staff and agenciesMarch 2, 2026 at 06:50 AM

AI Summary

medium article 3 min

Following a drone strike at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, non-essential personnel are being temporarily relocated as a precautionary measure. The incident, which occurred overnight, caused limited material damage and no casualties. Cypriot authorities identified the drone as a Shahed model. The UK Ministry of Defence confirmed the incident and stated that force protection in the region is at its highest level. The base remains operational, and other facilities on the island will continue to function normally. The incident happened hours after the UK agreed to allow the US to use British military bases to attack Iranian missile sites.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

European Union (EU) 35% Iran ×240% United States (US) ×250% Shahed 60% Nikos Christodoulides ×270% United Kingdom (UK) ×475% Ministry of Defence (MoD) ×280% Cyprus ×685% RAF Akrotiri ×695%

Keywords

drone strike 100% raf akrotiri 90% cyprus 80% military base 70% uk 60% non-essential personnel 60% force protection 50% ministry of defence 50% unmanned drone 40%