French President Emmanuel Macron has committed to deploying defensive military equipment to Cyprus following Monday’s drone assault on a British air installation, according to the Cyprus News Agency on Tuesday.
The French leader communicated his country’s plans to provide anti-missile and anti-drone defense systems, along with a naval frigate, to Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides during early morning discussions Tuesday. An unnamed Cypriot government official verified this information, though France’s defense department has yet to respond to requests for comment.
This assistance comes after Greece offered similar support within hours of the Monday incident at RAF Akrotiri, a British sovereign military facility on the Mediterranean island.
The initial attack involved an Iranian-manufactured Shahed drone that crashed directly onto the base’s runway, resulting in minor damage. Several hours afterward, two additional drones were successfully intercepted before reaching their targets.
High-ranking Cypriot authorities believe the assault was conducted using Iranian Shahed drones, most likely deployed by the Iran-supported militant organization Hezbollah operating from Lebanese territory. These officials have emphasized that the British-controlled base, not Cyprus itself, was the intended target.
The incident follows Britain’s Sunday announcement accepting a U.S. request to utilize its military installations for “defensive” operations against Iran, occurring one day after American and Israeli forces launched military action against Iran, which prompted Iranian counterattacks. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer subsequently clarified that U.S. bomber aircraft were not operating from Britain’s Cyprus bases.
Cypriot leadership has requested that Britain limit base usage to humanitarian operations only.
Greece responded Monday by sending four F-16 fighter aircraft to the island. Additionally, two Greek naval vessels, including one equipped with the Centauros anti-drone jamming technology, are en route to Cyprus.
The Centauros system, which has proven effective against Houthi rebel attacks on shipping routes near Yemen, can identify and disable low-altitude drones similar to the one that struck RAF Akrotiri and avoided radar detection, according to Cypriot defense officials.
