The UK Ministry of Defence has confirmed that a Shahed-type drone that targeted the Royal Air Force base at Akrotiri in Cyprus was not launched from Iran, clarifying speculation about the origin of the attack.
According to British officials, the drone approached the base shortly after midnight on March 2 and managed to evade the facility’s advanced radar systems.
Fighter jets, including Typhoon aircraft and several F-35 fighters, were deployed to intercept the drone. Reports indicated that the incident caused limited damage to an aircraft hangar near the runway, the Wire reports.
In a statement posted on social media late on March 4, the Ministry of Defence said British aircraft were continuing defensive air operations across the Middle East to protect UK interests and allies.
“The Ministry of Defence can confirm that a Shahed-like drone which targeted RAF Akrotiri at midnight on 2nd March was not launched from Iran,” the statement said.
The clarification comes amid heightened regional tensions following US and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, a conflict that has reportedly left more than 1,000 people dead in Iran.
British authorities said they have resupplied air-defence systems to UK and allied bases across the region, including missiles manufactured in the United Kingdom.
The Royal Navy is also expected to deploy Wildcat helicopters equipped with Martlet missiles, designed to counter aerial threats, to Cyprus in the coming days.
While London ruled out Iran as the launch point, the statement has fueled speculation that the drone could have originated from elsewhere in the region, including Lebanon, where Israel has been conducting military operations.
The incident marks the first time since Turkey’s 1974 invasion of Cyprus that a third country has carried out an attack of this nature on Cypriot territory.
British officials also rejected suggestions that the strike was linked to Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s decision to allow the United States to use British bases for operations against Iran, saying the drone was launched before the announcement was made.
