Cypriots have been sharing photographs and videos of glowing columns in the night sky, wrongly assuming they show activity above the island.
Experts say the images in fact show Iranian ballistic missile launches toward Israel and Israeli air defence intercepts, some of which take place above Lebanon.
The concern is understandable. The ongoing conflict in the Middle East, compounded by the drone strike on the British Bases on 2 March, has heightened anxiety among residents.
But the phenomenon has a straightforward scientific explanation rooted in the physics of ballistic missiles and the curvature of the Earth.
Ballistic missiles are typically launched at altitudes that can exceed 150 kilometres, reaching exo-atmospheric levels well above the atmosphere.
At these heights, the visual field extends far beyond what is visible from the ground, allowing observers in Cyprus — hundreds of kilometres from both Israel and Lebanon — to see launches and intercepts that would otherwise be obscured by the Earth’s horizon.
In most cases, Israel’s air defence systems neutralise incoming missiles before they re-enter the atmosphere and reach their targets. However, in the final phase of flight, ballistic missiles can reach supersonic speeds, making interception more difficult — which is why some are not intercepted and do strike their targets.
Good weather conditions further enhance visibility. When launches or intercepts occur at stratospheric or exo-atmospheric altitudes, the combination of clear skies and the Earth’s curvature allows observers across a wide area to witness events unfolding far away.
The same effect explains why satellite passes — including Starlink satellites launched from the United States — are sometimes visible from Cyprus and generate similar confusion on social media.
Experts stress that what Cypriots are observing is taking place at great distances, and that the island itself is not under attack when these phenomena are seen in the sky.