Europe rallies around Cyprus during Iran war as Macron visits to show support for island

PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron is traveling to Cyprus on Monday, days after dispatching a warship to the east Mediterranean island nation, where a Shahed drone struck a British air base on its southern coast last week during the Iran war.

Macron ordered the French frigate Languedoc to waters off Cyprus to bolster the European Union member country's anti-drone and anti-missiles defenses. The French president also decided to send ground-based anti-drone and anti-missile defenses to the island, which sustained the first drone attack on European territory.

France’s Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier is also expected to arrive in the Eastern Mediterranean in the coming days.

Macron will meet with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides and Greek Prime Kyriakos Mitsotakis at Cyprus' main air base on its southwestern edge where four Greek air force F-16s have been deployed.

“Together with our European partners, the aim will be to strengthen security around Cyprus and in the Eastern Mediterranean,” a statement from Macron's office said.

Macron has been deeply involved in diplomatic talks in recent days to try to avoid further escalation in the Middle East. On Sunday, he had talks with Iranian President Massoud Pezechkian and urged him to stop strikes.

Cyprus government spokesman Constantinos Letymbiotis on Sunday said that the three leaders would assess regional developments and the close coordination on preemptive measures that have been taken. Letymbiotis repeated Cyprus' gratitude for the leaders' quick response to the island's call for assistance.

Last week, Macron ordered France’s nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to move from the Baltic Sea to the Mediterranean to help protect allied assets, citing the drone strike on Cyprus. He said that Cyprus was an EU member with which France has recently signed a strategic partnership.

Greece's state-of-the-art Kimon and Psara frigates are already patrolling off Cyprus' southern coast. Warships from Italy, the Netherlands and Spain are expected in the coming days, while U.K. destroyer Dragon will arrive next week.

Despite the military buildup, the three leaders have urged against any expansion of the conflict. Christodoulides repeatedly has underscored that Cyprus won't take part in any military operation.

The Shahed drone caused minor damage to a hangar at the RAF Akrotiri air base minutes after midnight on March 2. No one was injured. Another two drones were intercepted by British Typhoon and F-35 warplanes that were scrambled from the air base shortly after midday that day.

Cyprus officials confirmed last week that the Shahed drone originated from Lebanon and speculation is that it was launched by the Hezbollah militant group, Iran’s proxy in the country. Hezbollah’s arsenal notably includes exploding drones, similar to the ones used by Iran.

Lebanon’s foreign minister, Youssef Rajji, on Sunday condemned the drone attack.

“I called on our Cypriot friends not to confuse the Lebanese state with those acting outside its authority and legal framework,” said Rajji, a staunch opponent of Hezbollah.

The Lebanese government has ordered its security agencies to crack down on non-state groups carrying out attacks.

Menelaos Hadjicostis reported from Nicosia, Cyprus. Kareem Chehayeb contributed to this report from Beirut.