THE Ministry of Defence (MoD) has confirmed one of its bases was hit by a drone overnight on Sunday.
The families of personnel based at RAF Akrotiri have been evacuated as a precaution, and the base is reportedly continuing to operate as normal.
Here is everything you need to know about RAF Akrotiri.
Where is RAF Akrotiri?
RAF Akrotiri is on the southern coast of the island of Cyprus, around 20km southwest of Limassol.
It is located within the British Sovereign Base Area of Akrotiri, meaning the land is fully under UK sovereignty and control.
Was RAF Akrotiri attacked?
Overnight on Sunday, the MoD confirmed RAF Akrotiri had been hit by a suspected drone strike.
Officials said the base was continuing to operate as normal despite the attack but family members of personnel had been moved away from the base as a precaution.
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It is not yet currently whether the base was hit with a drone fired directly from Iran or from Tehran-backed proxies such as Hezbollah in Lebanon.
The drone is believed to have been launched before Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced he had allowed US forces to use British bases.
And on Monday morning, Cyprus confirmed two unmanned drones which were moving towards RAF Akrotiri had been "confronted".
A translation of a statement posted on social media by Cypriot government spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis said: “Two unmanned aerial vehicles that were moving towards the direction of the British Bases at Akrotiri were confronted in time.”
What is RAF Akrotiri used for?
RAF Akrotiri is used as a forward base for mounting overseas operations in the Middle East.
It is also used for fast jet training.
RAF Akrotiri is the largest permanent RAF base outside the UK.
There are believed to be more than 4000 serving RAF personnel and their families based at RAF Akrotiri.
The base was used by the RAF to send surveillance aircraft over Gaza.
Since December 2023, more than 500 flights were carried out - with the MoD saying they had ended in October last year.
The intelligence gathered from the surveillance flights was shared with Israel.
What is the travel advice in Cyprus?
The UK Government's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) issues advice about the risks of travel for British nationals.
The FCDO website currently states there is a "heightened risk of regional tension" following the suspected drone impact at RAF Akrotiri.
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The website warns that escalation could lead to travel disruption and "other unanticipated impacts".
British nationals have been advised to take the following precautions:
- Read If you’re affected by a crisis abroad - GOV.UK. This includes guidance on “how to prepare for a crisis” with suggestions on what you might include in your emergency supplies and “what to do in a crisis”
- Sign up to FCDO Travel Advice email alerts
- Monitor local and international media for the latest information
- Sign up to local information alerts/resources and follow the instructions of the local authorities
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