Iranian drone attacks British air base in Akrotiri, Cyprus
The British airbase Akrotiri near Limassol in Cyprus was attacked by an Iranian drone on the night of Monday, 2 March. This was announced by Cypriot President Nicos Christodoulides. According to him, the base suffered minor material damage, DW reports.
Earlier that day, Christodoulides stressed that Cyprus is not involved in any way and does not intend to participate in any military operations. He also said that he is in constant contact with other European leaders regarding the situation.
The British Ministry of Defence confirmed the attack on the military base in Cyprus. The ministry noted that no one was injured as a result of the strike. It also stated that measures had been taken to protect British military personnel in the region. Additional details are expected later.
Earlier, Reuters reported, citing sources, that the Akrotiri base had been attacked by two drones, one of which was intercepted.
British Defence Secretary John Gilli said that British aircraft from air bases in Bahrain and Cyprus would shoot down drones and missiles if they were detected.
On 28 February, Israel and the United States launched strikes on Tehran and other targets in Iran. US President Donald Trump announced his intention to destroy the Islamic Republic's nuclear programme and called on the Iranian army to lay down its arms and the country's citizens to "take their fate into their own hands".
According to the Iranian Red Crescent Society, as of the morning of 1 March, 201 people had been killed and another 747 wounded as a result of the strikes. Iranian media claim that more than 100 people were killed and 95 wounded after a missile struck a girls' school in the city of Minab. The death of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been confirmed, as well as that of several high-ranking security officials, including Defence Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh, Chief of Staff Abdulrahim Mousavi and Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Mohammad Pakpour.
In response, Iran launched strikes on Israel and other countries in the Middle East. A state of emergency has been declared in Israel. On the evening of 28 February, two women were killed when a rocket hit a residential building in Tel Aviv. On 1 March, another Iranian rocket hit a residential area in Beit Shemesh, near Jerusalem, killing at least nine people and injuring 28.
In the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, several people were killed and dozens were injured as a result of Iranian air strikes. Explosions were also heard in cities in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Qatar.
