A week of sirens: Cyprus suffers from its proximity to the powder keg of the Middle East

Since an Iranian-made drone struck the British base at Akrotiri late last week, Cyprus has endured daily sirens warning of detected suspicious objects and multiple scramble missions by British and Greek fighters.

“The mild Mediterranean air rocks the goldfinches that flit around the veranda of the Oasis restaurant, occasionally perching on its empty tables”

El País

The Cypriot government says most of the warnings have been false alarms.

El País

The Royal Air Force facilities sit about six kilometers from the coast while the territory under British sovereignty begins at the Oasis restaurant and covers 123 square kilometers.

The base pair at Akrotiri and Dhekelia have been used in past operations from Iraq to Afghanistan and to protect Israel during Iran’s 2024 attack.

The vast radar system at Dhekelia can pick up signals as far away as Afghanistan or Russia and shares information with the United States.

The apparent ability of a drone to bypass British defenses has increased local uncertainty.

Life in the city of Limasol still shows everyday normality, as empty tables at the Oasis restaurant sit alongside ongoing luxury construction projects.

The city's population has doubled to 200,000.

El País

Economic sectors sensitive to instability are already feeling strain.

There is heavy real estate demand driven by Russians, Israelis and Europeans.

Trilogy towers units are priced above five million euros, and marina properties start at 3.9 million euros.

A development five kilometers from the RAF facilities offers homes at 550,000 euros.

Locals express mixed responses: some reopened businesses after evacuations in Akrotiri, while others voiced fear that they could become targets of Iranian drones or missiles.

Residents including Hüseyin, Hula, Kostas, Elisavet and George are quoted expressing resignation, annoyance or downplaying of danger.

The Cypriot president, Nikos Christodoulides, publicly criticized the United Kingdom for its handling of the crisis.

“The mild Mediterranean air rocks the goldfinches that flit around the veranda of the Oasis restaurant, occasionally perching on its empty tables”

El País

The article characterizes Keir Starmer's statements as ambiguous, saying he first offered bases to the U.S. and then denied their use.

The article later reports Starmer acknowledged that Akrotiri fighters had participated in shooting down an Iranian drone over Jordanian airspace that could have been heading to Israel.

London updated travel advice warning of possible terrorist attacks.

The U.S. temporarily evacuated embassy staff during an alert.

Nicosia advised residents to prepare backpacks for shelters while the government app lists some nonexistent shelters and a telephone alert test was performed imperfectly.

Commentators and an editorial in the Cyprus Mail debate whether blaming the UK is fair given Cyprus's own strengthened ties and base use by Israel and the U.S.

Fiona Mullen warns that closer Western defence ties may cement security while also creating insecurity.

Cyprus faces strategic limits: it is an EU member but not in NATO.

The island’s northern third is controlled by Turkey while about 3% is UK bases.

El País

Turkey vetoes any possibility of Cyprus joining NATO while Cyprus and Greece oppose EU defence rapprochements with Turkey.

The article details Cyprus's limited forces: an air force of 3 planes, 4 drones and 15 helicopters, and a mainly patrol-boat naval force.

It stresses the importance of pledged support from countries such as Greece, France, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain.

Spain has sent the frigate Cristóbal Colón.

Amid the tension, the piece notes local resilience and normalcy in places like the Greek Orthodox monastery of Saint Nicholas of the Cats.

There, elderly nuns remain unafraid and say, 'Whatever God wills.'