Explosive-laden drone found at German cargo hub; terror investigation launched (AP images)Germany has launched a counterterrorism investigation after an explosive-laden drone was discovered in a restricted cargo area near the southern runway of Leipzig/Halle Airport, prompting flight disruptions at one of Europe's largest cargo hubs. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt described the incident as a "hybrid attack" that marked "a new level of danger" for the country, while investigators examined whether foreign actors could have been involved.Airport workers found the quadcopter carrying an explosive device overnight near the cargo operations zone, leading authorities to suspend flights, divert several aircraft and deploy bomb disposal teams. Most airport operations resumed after one runway reopened, though the southern runway remained closed as explosives experts examined the drone and removed its detonator. Authorities said there was no danger to passengers or airport staff."Drone sightings and drone threats in a hybrid context are something we have known from the past, but a drone armed with explosives being present on airport grounds is a new threat scenario," Dobrindt said after an emergency meeting with the heads of Germany's security services.Investigators were also examining an incident involving a DHL cargo aircraft that struck an unidentified object while climbing away after aborting its landing due to the airport disruption. The aircraft landed safely in Hanover, where authorities detected minor damage.Dobrindt said investigators were exploring all possibilities surrounding the drone, the explosives and those responsible."All speculation about the explosives, the drone, its origin, and who is behind it, is now part of the investigation," he said."It is part of the nature of hybrid threats that it is not always immediately clear where they originate," Dobrindt added.Officials said the sophistication of the operation suggested careful planning."Such threat situations are not carried out by amateurs, but must be prepared very professionally and executed professionally," Dobrindt said.While German officials have not named any suspects, the incident has heightened concerns over hybrid threats targeting critical infrastructure. Federal police have previously said a series of unauthorised drone overflights near airports, military facilities, ports and logistics centres may have been organised by Russian agents, allegations Moscow has denied.Bild newspaper reported that the explosive drone was found close to a Ukrainian Antonov cargo aircraft, which has operated from Leipzig/Halle since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Leipzig is also a major logistics hub for DHL and serves military and humanitarian operations.German investigators are also examining whether the incident is linked to a broader pattern of sabotage attempts. European security agencies have been probing a series of incendiary devices hidden in parcels that caught fire in 2024, including at a DHL warehouse in Leipzig and freight shipments across Europe. However, the Interior Ministry said no connection between those incidents and the latest drone discovery had been established.The Guardian reported that investigators are also examining whether the attempted attack could have been planned by a foreign power. Although officials have not publicly accused Russia, security experts said Leipzig's strategic importance as a NATO and German military logistics hub, along with its role as the European base for Ukraine's Antonov Airlines, has drawn attention to possible Russian involvement. Moscow has not commented on the latest incident.