How the Iran war has put the small island of Cyprus abruptly on Europe’s security radar

French President Emmanuel Macron visited the eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus on Monday to discuss regional security after a British military base there was targeted in an Iranian drone attack. 

France quickly joined other European nations to stress that an attack on Cyprus was an attack on all of Europe. Paris joined several other European capitals to announce that additional warships would be deployed to the Mediterranean, along with anti-drone and anti-missile defenses, to help defend Cyprus.

Cyprus is a small island, roughly the size of Yellowstone Park in the U.S. and with a population of less than 1.5 million. But its location in the far eastern Mediterranean, only about 100 miles from the shores of Lebanon and Syria in the heart of the Middle East, makes it strategically invaluable soil — and explains why the British have maintained two sovereign military bases there, Akrotiri and Dhekelia, for decades.

Cyprus has seen itself thrust to the forefront of international security concerns since the U.S. and Israel launched their strikes on Iran on Feb. 28. Most of Iran’s retaliatory ballistic missile and drone launches have targeted Israel and its Persian Gulf neighbors, but a few drones did take aim at the U.K.’s air base in Akrotiri, and one lightly damaged a runway.

The small island is not new to military tension, however.

Since 1974, the island has been split along the so-called “Green Line,” created by the United Nations after a clash between Greek Cypriots — some of whom sought union with Greece after the island gained independence from Britain — and the minority Turkish Cypriots.

The internationally recognized Republic of Cyprus (RoC) roughly forms the south portion of the island. It joined the European Union as a member state in 2004, while the Turkish-controlled north is recognized as an independent entity only by Ankara. 

Both sides remain heavily militarized, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan recently reinforcing northern Cyprus with additional military assets amid concerns over the regional security situation.

Throughout the island’s internal tumult, the U.K. has retained control of two key sovereign military bases, the one in Akrotiri and another not far away in Dhekelia. The bases have long served as strategic hubs for NATO military operations, and used often by the U.S. military as a close British ally.

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, under intense public pressure from President Trump after denying the U.S. military use of British bases for the initial offensive against Iran, later granted access to three British bases — Akrotiri in Cyprus, Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean and the vital Fairford Air Station in England, where the U.S. has strategic bombers based.

But Starmer said that permission was granted for a “specific and limited defensive purpose” only, and that U.K. bases were not being used to facilitate strikes on Iran. 

Cyprus’ government has been even more reluctant to get involved in the war. President Nikos Christodoulides has reiterated his commitment to deescalation in the conflict, to safeguard regional stability. 

The attacks targeting the U.K. base sparked protests on the island, with some citizens warning that the British presence could increase risks for Cyprus and undermine efforts to push for a peaceful resolution of the conflict.

Another factor fueling tension on the island is the growing relationship between the Republic of Cyprus, Greece and Israel. In December, the leaders of all three nations met in Nicosia to finalize a trilateral cooperation plan for 2026. 

The agreement they signed includes military coordination and joint exercises between their respective armed forces, as well as cooperation on broader regional security challenges.

At the time, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned ambiguously that, “those who fantasize they can reestablish their empires and their dominion over our lands should forget it.”

Southern Cyprus has become an increasingly popular vacation destination for Israelis in recent years, with many buying properties on the island. Holiday homes, retirement residences and tourism facilities have been built, creating a community estimated at around 11,000 people, according to the Commonwealth Jewish Council.