The Royal Navy's destroyer will arrive too late for Cyprus - the French are already here

Analysis Analysis The Royal Navy's destroyer will arrive too late for Cyprus - the French are already here A destroyer won't arrive until next week in Cyprus, which is being targeted because of the presence of British military. The Iranian attack on a hangar at RAF Akrotiri was probably not a lucky shot - it's on Google Maps with two U2 spy planes parked outside. Alistair Bunkall Europe correspondent @AliBunkallSKY Thursday 5 March 2026 21:39, UK 0:44 Share Sirens go off at British RAF base in Cyprus. Why you can trust Sky News Twice, the air raid sirens sounded around RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus this afternoon. We were rushed inside as soldiers lay on the floor in body armour. It was over quickly. The British defence secretary, visiting the base at the time, was taken into "a windowless room" just before he was due to dial into a COBRA meeting. The warning system at the base is quite unsophisticated, unable to be specific like the Israeli equivalent, and so the alarms are sounded out of caution, not necessarily because something is incoming, but it did underline the threat to the island, so close to Lebanon and the Iranian proxy Hezbollah which is believed to be responsible for the attacks. One drone did get through the defences on Sunday. It flew undetected, low to the sea, and was described as "tiny". But it still managed to put a hole in a hangar normally used to house American U2 spy planes. It probably wasn't a lucky shot: the hangar, with two U2s parked outside, is clearly visible on Google maps. In my interview with John Healey I asked him when the option to deploy a Royal Navy destroyer first hit his desk. He suggested he'd had options for weeks. I pressed him to clarify it was his decision to delay then, and he didn't disagree. But afterwards, defence sources told me the Royal Navy only gave him the option on Tuesday. Get Sky News on WhatsApp Follow our channel and never miss an update Tap here to follow Be the first to get Breaking News Install the Sky News ap...