Drone Strike Sparks Protests in Cyprus

0:00On March 7th, protests have broken out in Cyprus after a drone hit the RAF Aquateri base earlier this week. Demonstrators in Lima, Saul, chanted for British bases to leave the island right away. The suspected Iranian-made drone struck two days after US and Israeli attacks on Iran began. Britain has held two sovereign base areas on Cyprus, Aquateri and Dakelia, since the island gained independence in 1960. The Aquateri site acts as a major hub for UK operations in the Middle East. Recently, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer approved US use of the bases for defensive strikes on Iranian missile sites. Locals fear the bases are dragging Cyprus into the growing clash between Iran, Israel and the US. Many residents near the base feel left out of the loop on safety updates. Protests are drawing bigger crowds now, including worry parents who see the sites as risky targets. The strike caused just minor damage and no one was hurt. In response, the UK Ministry of Defense announced it ascending a warship plus two wildcat helicopters

1:04to boost drone defenses across Cyprus. With regional tensions climbing, Cypriots continue debating whether the British presence brings security or just more danger to their doorstep.