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World · 3 March 2026

France to send frigate and air defences to Cyprus after drone strike on RAF base

France to send frigate and air defences to Cyprus after drone strike on RAF base

European Union via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)

France will deploy anti-missile systems, anti-drone technology and a frigate to Cyprus, with a second frigate to follow, after an Iranian-made Shahed drone struck RAF Akrotiri's runway on 1 March 2026. President Macron confirmed the decision to Cypriot President Christodoulides following two phone calls, saying France must stand alongside its friends and allies with strictly defensive intentions. Greece has also dispatched F-16 jets and two frigates, while Germany is considering sending a warship.

Reported by Cyprus Mail · How we write briefs

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