A Shahed-type drone struck RAF Akrotiri, the UK's key air base in Cyprus, at 22:03 UTC on March 1, 2026, equivalent to 00:03 local time on March 2. Cyprus Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos identified the drone as launched by Hezbollah from Lebanon, while President Nikos Christodoulides described it as Iranian-made, causing minor damage to a hangar or the main runway. No casualties occurred, and base operations continued after a partial evacuation.
The incident unfolded amid the Iran-Israel-US war. Additional drones targeted Cyprus on March 1 and 4 but were intercepted by British Typhoon and F-35 jets. RAF Akrotiri, spanning 99 square miles on Cyprus's southern tip, hosts 10 Eurofighter Typhoons and six F-35 Lightning II jets deployed in February 2026, plus U-2 spy planes for Middle East surveillance.
IRGC General Sardar Jabbari threatened intense missile strikes on the base, claiming US aircraft relocation made it a target. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer deployed HMS Dragon, a Type 45 air-defense destroyer, and counter-drone helicopters. Greece sent frigates Kimon and Psara, four F-16s; France dispatched frigate Languedoc with anti-drone systems; Germany planned a warship.
Civilian impacts included Paphos International Airport evacuation and a postponed EU officials' meeting. Base authorities ordered nearby residents to shelter in place. This marked the first third-country attack on Cypriot soil since Turkey's 1974 invasion.