Europe Rallies Around Cyprus During Iran War As Macron Visits To Show Support For Island

PAPHOS, Cyprus — French President Emmanuel Macron traveled to Cyprus connected Monday, days aft dispatching a warship to nan eastbound Mediterranean land nation, wherever a Shahed drone struck a British aerial guidelines connected its confederate seashore past week during nan Iran war.

Macron ordered nan French frigate Languedoc to waters disconnected Cyprus, a chap European Union member, to bolster its anti-drone and anti-missile defenses. The French president besides decided to nonstop ground-based anti-drone and anti-missile defenses to nan island, which sustained nan first drone onslaught of nan Iran warfare connected European territory.

The French president will besides spell aboard nan Charles de Gaulle nuclear-powered craft bearer that’s presently sailing successful nan eastbound Mediterranean adjacent Cyprus. The vessel’s beingness “reinforces nan subject intends already successful nan region to guarantee nan information of France, its citizens and its bases, arsenic good arsenic that of its friends successful nan region,” Macron’s agency said.

Macron is gathering pinch Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides and Greek Prime Kyriakos Mitsotakis astatine Cyprus’ main aerial guidelines connected its southwestern edge, wherever 4 Greek aerial unit F-16s person been deployed.

“Together pinch our European partners, nan purpose will beryllium to fortify information astir Cyprus and successful nan Eastern Mediterranean,” a connection from Macron’s agency said.

Christodoulides echoed those remarks, telling reporters up of nan gathering that nan leaders’ beingness successful Cyprus underscores really nan island’s information is nan corporate work of nan European Union, which must enactment to take sides its ain borders.

“It’s nan first clip we’ve seen specified a consequence and I see this to beryllium of peculiar importance,” Christodoulides said.

Macron has been profoundly progressive successful negotiated talks successful caller days to effort to debar further escalation successful nan Middle East. On Sunday, he said to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and urged him to extremity strikes.

Cypriot authorities spokesperson Constantinos Letymbiotis connected Sunday said that nan 3 leaders would measure location developments and nan adjacent coordination connected preemptive measures that person been taken. Letymbiotis repeated Cyprus’ gratitude for nan leaders’ speedy consequence to nan island’s telephone for assistance.

Last week, Macron ordered nan De Gaulle to move from nan Baltic Sea to nan Mediterranean to thief protect allied assets, citing nan drone onslaught connected Cyprus. Cyprus and France signed a caller strategical business successful December.

Greece’s state-of-the-art Kimon and Psara frigates are already operating disconnected Cyprus’ confederate coast. Warships from Italy, nan Netherlands and Spain are expected successful nan coming days, while U.K. destroyer HMS Dragon will get adjacent week.

Despite nan subject buildup, nan 3 leaders person urged against immoderate description of nan conflict. Christodoulides many times has underscored that Cyprus won’t return portion successful immoderate subject operation.

The Shahed drone caused insignificant harm to a hangar astatine nan RAF Akrotiri aerial guidelines minutes aft midnight connected March 2. No 1 was injured. Another 2 drones were intercepted by British Typhoon and F-35 warplanes that were scrambled from nan aerial guidelines soon aft midday that day.

Cyprus officials confirmed past week that nan Shahed drone originated from Lebanon, and speculation is that it was launched by nan Hezbollah militant group, Iran’s proxy successful nan country. Hezbollah’s arsenal notably includes exploding drones, akin to nan ones utilized by Iran.

Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji connected Sunday condemned nan drone attack.

“I called connected our Cypriot friends not to confuse nan Lebanese authorities pinch those acting extracurricular its authority and ineligible framework,” said Rajji, a staunch force of Hezbollah.

The Lebanese authorities has ordered its information agencies to ace down connected non-state groups carrying retired attacks.

Corbet and Hadjicostis constitute for nan Associated Press. Hadjicostis reported from Nicosia, Cyprus. AP writer Kareem Chehayeb contributed to this study from Beirut.