March 2 (UPI) -- A British airbase on Cyprus was struck by a drone, forcing the evacuation of the facility from where RAF Typhoon warplanes are flying sorties to defend Gulf countries under attack from Iran and as many as 300,000 British nationals visiting or living in the region.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper told Sky News that the runway at RAF Akrotiri was hit in the strike late Sunday and that "all of the precautionary measures are being taken around the base," which is near Limassol in the southwest of the island.
No casualties were reported and the Ministry of Defense said damage had been "minimal" and that the base remained operational, but that families of service personnel and all non-essential staff had been relocated to safe locations off-base.
"Our armed forces are responding to a suspected drone strike at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus at midnight local time. Our force protection in the region is at the highest level, and the base has responded to defend our people. This is a live situation and further information will be provided in due course," the MOD said.
The military was mounting an effort to reassure residents of villages near the base that the threat was to the base and that there was no risk to them or their property.
