France plans to send anti-missile and anti-drone systems along with a frigate to Cyprus after a drone struck a British air base on the island, while Greece has dispatched fighter jets and warships to bolster the small Mediterranean state’s defences, Cypriot officials said on Tuesday.
French President Emmanuel Macron communicated the decision to Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides early on Tuesday, government spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis confirmed.
In Paris, the French army’s Joint Staff said its forces were acting in coordination with regional partners “with a view to contributing to the stability of the region, particularly under existing defence agreements.”
Greece dispatched four F-16 fighter jets to the island and two frigates, one equipped with its Centauros anti-drone jamming system, which has been successfully deployed against Houthi rebels attacking shipping in the Red Sea.
The system can detect and incapacitate low-flying drones, including those hugging terrain or skimming the sea surface.
“Greece is present, and will continue to be present to assist in any way in the defence of the Republic of Cyprus,” Greek Defence Minister Nikos Dendias said during a visit to Nicosia on Tuesday.
The show of support followed Monday’s drone strike on RAF Akrotiri, which Cypriot officials said was carried out by an Iranian-made Shahed drone that evaded radar by flying at low altitude. The strike is believed to have been launched by Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah from Lebanon, causing limited damage to the base’s runway. Two other drones were intercepted on Monday.
Although RAF Akrotiri is considered sovereign British territory, its proximity to populated Cypriot areas prompted hundreds of residents to evacuate their homes, as the EU member state was unexpectedly drawn into the regional turmoil following US and Israeli strikes on Iran and Tehran’s retaliatory attacks across the region. Britain has yet to decide whether it will send a warship to defend the base.
Cyprus, which has modest defence capabilities and no air force to speak of, has in recent years sought to modernise its military, including the acquisition of the Barak MX air defence system. The country was once heavily reliant on Russia for defence cooperation.
(Reuters)
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