Cyprus spots suspect object close to Lebanon

Cyprus scrambled Greek F16 jets after detecting a suspect object near its airspace, diverting two incoming flights amid rising tensions following a drone strike on a British RAF base, believed linked to Iran-backed Hezbollah.

Michele Kambas/Reuters

4 March 2026 at 09:42:52

Cyprus spots suspect object close to Lebanon

The entrance of RAF Akrotiri, a British sovereign base in Cyprus that was hit by a drone early Monday, causing limited damage, in Cyprus March 4, 2026.

Yiannis Kourtoglou/Reuters

Cyprus said on Wednesday a suspect object had been detected close to Lebanese airspace, and a government source said two Greek F16 fighter jets had been scrambled to intercept it.

Two aircraft that were preparing to land at Cyprus' Larnaca airport were diverted while the jets were scrambled, the government source said.

The incident followed a strike by an unnamed Iran-made drone on a British RAF base in Akrotiri in Cyprus on Monday as the U.S. and Israeli air war against Iran continued, and two other drones were intercepted by Cyprus later that day.

Cypriot officials said they believed the drones were fired by Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon.

-Michele Kambas/Reuters