UK base in Cyprus hit amid rising Iran conflict after London allows US defensive strikes

London: Drones struck a Royal Air Force (RAF) airbase in Cyprus on Sunday night. Loud explosions were heard during the attack. Hundreds of British Air Force officers and their families live at this British airbase. The attack occurred at midnight. Following the attack, air sirens sounded, and RAF Typhoon and F-35B Lightning jets were dispatched with air-to-air refueling tankers. A source at the base told The Sun newspaper that at least one drone struck the runway shortly before midnight, causing damage to the airfield. According to reports, Iran or one of its proxies is suspected of carrying out the attack.

Several drones and missiles were used in the attack, but most were intercepted. Families living at the airbase were warned to hide immediately after the attack. The Sun reported that "the security of the airbase remains at risk." According to reports, sirens blared throughout the night at the airbase, and there were fears that at least seven more missiles could strike. It is currently unknown where the missiles were fired from, but British troops believe the attack may have been launched from Lebanon.

Attack on British airbase just after joining the war

The attack on a British airbase in Cyprus came at a time when British Prime Minister Keir Starmer had pledged to support the US in the war against Iran. Britain has authorized the use of its airbase to attack Iran and to deter Iranian missiles targeting its allies in the Middle East. The British Prime Minister stated on social media that the US had requested permission to use a British base for limited defensive support. The British Prime Minister added, "We accepted the request so that Iran does not launch missiles across the region, kill innocent civilians, endanger British lives, and attack countries that are not involved."

Is Iran's attack on the Cyprus base a major mistake?

More than 800 families of British troops and over 3,000 contractors live at the Cyprus base. The base was used as a launch pad for airstrikes on Yemen, Iraq, and Syria, and after the Hamas terrorist attacks on October 7, special forces reconnaissance planes were sent from there to search for hostages in Gaza. British Air Force Typhoon fighter jets and F-35 fighter jets are stationed there. The British Sovereign Base Area in Cyprus also houses a major reconnaissance hub that intercepts signals intelligence from across the region.

Russian electronic warfare jammers have repeatedly targeted RAF planes around this base. British Defence Secretary John Healey confirmed that two Iranian missiles fired towards Cyprus were intercepted but were not aimed at the island. He told Sky News, "We don't believe they were aimed at Cyprus, but it's still an example of how there is a very real and growing threat from a regime that is carrying out large-scale attacks across the region, and we need to take action."