A two-month-long ban on drones and paragliding in the British-controlled areas of Cyprus has been lifted today, the Sovereign Base Areas administration has announced.
Why was the ban imposed?
On March 2, a drone hit the RAF Akrotiri base following Israeli and US military action against Iran and subsequent counter-strikes, while other drones heading for the base are believed to have been intercepted.
As a result, the British Bases announced a ban on all civil drone operations on March 7, prohibiting flights across their territories and within 12 nautical miles of the coastline. Authorities implemented the restriction to protect national airspace and prevent interference with defense systems. With several other unauthorised drones heading toward the island were intercepted in the following days, the decision was made to ground all civilian drones to keep the skies clear for military monitoring.
The same had applied to paragliding, which can be easily mistaken as threats on a military radar. Put simply, the government grounded all recreational flight to “sterilise” the airspace, ensuring that military defense systems could monitor the skies for actual threats without being distracted by civilian activity.
What is the background behind the initial drone attack?
Although initially suspected to be a direct strike from Iran, investigations by the UK Ministry of Defence and Cypriot officials suggest the drone was launched by a pro-Iran militia (likely Hezbollah) from near the Lebanese capital, Beirut.
The strike followed an announcement by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer that the United States would be granted limited use of British bases in Cyprus for “defensive” operations during the escalating 2026 conflict with Iran. It was the first hostile direct attack on the RAF Akrotiri base since Libyan militants targeted it in the mid-1980s.
The attack occurred shortly after midnight on March 2, 2026, targeting the base on the island’s southern tip. A one-way “suicide” drone, identified as an Iranian-made Shahed type, breached the airfield and struck a hangar. While the impact caused a fire and minor structural damage to the hangar, there were no casualties, and air operations were not halted.
Why has the ban now been lifted and how important could that be?
After two months of high alert following the drone strike on Akrotiri, security assessments by the British Sovereign Base Areas (SBA) indicate that the immediate risk of further suicide drone attacks from regional militias has been lowered enough to allow for recreational activities again.
It is certainly significant for the country that the risk has been lowered. Tourist arrivals to Cyprus fell 30.7% in March 2026, with the island recording 139,198 visitors compared with 200,736 in March 2025, with the outbreak of conflict in the region weighing heavily on bookings, according to figures from the Statistical Service.
This means the island is now rushing to improve its image and save the tourist season. With the bans lifted and threat levels now considered to be lower, there will be hope that the arrival figures will start to improve.