Iran: British families at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus evacuated after drone strike amid Middle East hostilities
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Families of serving personnel at an RAF base in Cyprus have been evacuated following a drone strike.
RAF Akrotiri near Limassol was hit by a drone in the early hours of Monday (March 2). Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer has allowed US forces to use British bases to target Iran, drawing criticism from US President Donald Trump about delays in making the decision.
Officials said RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus was continuing to operate as normal despite the attack but family members of personnel had been moved away from the base as a precaution. It is not yet clear whether the base was hit with a drone fired directly from Iran or from Tehran-backed proxies such as Hezbollah in Lebanon. Iran launched a barrage of missiles against countries across the Middle East over the weekend in response to American and Israeli strikes which killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The drone is believed to have been launched before Sir Keir announced he had allowed US forces to use British bases rather than in retaliation to the policy shift. Around 300,000 Britons are believed to be in countries targeted by Iran, with 102,000 registered with the Foreign Office for updates as officials examine all options, including a potential mass evacuation.
Officials said the damage inflicted on the base by the ”kamikaze drone” was “minimal” and there were no casualties. A Ministry of Defence (MoD) spokesman said: “The safety of our personnel and their families is our absolute priority. As a precautionary measure we are moving family members who live at RAF Akrotiri to alternative accommodation nearby on the island of Cyprus. Our base and personnel continue to operate as normal protecting the safety of Britain and our interests.”
The Daily Mail reported that families at RAF Akrotiri were advised in a note to pack essentials for three to five days. The Sun newspaper said that a security alert after the attack urged families to “take cover” and stay away from windows because of an “ongoing security threat”. British Forces Cyprus (BFC) said on its social media pages that a “temporary dispersal” of non-essential personnel had taken place.
In a sign of the heightened tension, local media reported a new “security threat” at the base on Monday. The Cyprus Mail reported that personnel at the base were told to “return to your homes and stay inside” and “move away from windows and take cover behind or beneath substantial, solid furniture”. Late on Sunday, the Prime Minister said he had agreed to a US request to use British bases to protect UK nationals and allies in the region, accusing Iran of pursuing a “scorched earth strategy”.
Sir Keir said British forces would not be directly involved in the strikes, and the bases would only be used for the “specific and limited defensive purpose” of targeting missile storage depots and launchers being used to attack Iran’s neighbours. He said: “We have taken the decision to accept this request, to prevent Iran firing missiles across the region, killing innocent civilians, putting British lives at risk, and hitting countries that have not been involved.”
It is not clear which bases will be involved, but Donald Trump has previously indicated Diego Garcia – one of the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean – and RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire could be used to attack Iran. Sir Keir’s decision followed a day of conversations with regional leaders, during which it is understood they asked the UK to do more to protect them from Iranian missiles. The prime minister insisted the decision was fully in line with international law, and the Government has published a summary of its legal position setting out that it is acting in “collective self-defence”. The UK will also continue to carry out the defensive operations that have already seen British forces shoot down Iranian drones threatening northern Iraq and Qatar.
President Trump criticised the refusal to grant permission to use the base for the initial strikes against Iran’s military and leadership. “That’s probably never happened between our countries before,” he said, adding: “It sounds like he was worried about the legality.” Referring to Sir Keir’s change of position, he added: “It is useful. It took far too much time. Far too much time.”