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France plans to send air defence systems to Cyprus after a British base on the island came under attack, according to a report. Paris could dispatch a frigate as well as anti-missile and anti-drone systems to the country, the semi-official Cyprus News Agency has reported. The Ministry of Defence has been contacted for comment. RAF Akrotiri, a sovereign British air base, was targeted by drones on Monday as the Middle East war continues to spiral. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer granted permission on Sunday for the US to use British bases for ‘defensive’ strikes on Iran’s missile sites, a day after the launch of joint American-Israeli military action against Tehran over the weekend. Hours afterwards, a drone hit Akrotiri, though the prime minister said it was launched before his announcement and was not in retaliation. UK Defence Secretary John Healey said there were no casualties and the damage to the base was minimal. The families of service personnel have been moved away from the base as a precaution. On Monday, a spokesperson for the Cypriot government said two further unmanned drones heading towards the base had been intercepted. Healey said the drone that struck Akrotiri was an example of the ‘dangerous and indiscriminate attacks’ by Iran and its proxies. By Nina Lloyd, Press Association Political Correspondent Press Association: News source: PA Copyright 2026 Alliance News Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
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