Italy mulls sending frigate to Cyprus after drone strike

The Italian government is on Wednesday considering deploying a frigate to Cypriot waters, according to reports, after France and Greece did the same in the aftermath of a drone hitting the island earlier in the week.

According to Italian newspaper La Repubblica, the country’s government is considering “moving an Italian frigate near Cypriot territory to contribute to the island’s security”.

It added that the vessel which Italy intends to send will be “equipped with weapons capable of downing Tehran’s fearsome drones”.

A source close to the Italian government told the Cyprus Mail that there is “nothing to confirm yet”.

France and Greece have both already committed frigates to be deployed to Cypriot waters, with French President Emmanuel Macron having said on Tuesday night that the arrival of the Languedoc was expected imminently.

He also announced that the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, alongside its “air assets” and frigate escort, would also be deployed to the eastern Mediterranean.

Greece, meanwhile, deployed two frigates, including one armed with the Centauros anti-drone system, to Cypriot waters, while also repositioning four F-16 fighter jets to the island. The frigates were confirmed as having arrived in Cypriot waters on Wednesday morning.

Reports of the deployment of an Italian frigate come after the Italian foreign ministry had summoned the Iranian ambassador in Rome to protest the firing of the drone at Cyprus.

“I made it clear to the Iranian ambassador, after the attack which took place in Cyprus, that Europe has nothing to do with it, that it should not under any circumstances get involved in this story,” Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said after his meeting with the ambassador.

The drone had hit the United Kingdom’s Akrotiri air force base, and in response, British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced the deployment of HMS Dragon, a Type 45 destroyer warship, as well as two AW159 Wildcat helicopters, to Cyprus.

Later on Tuesday night, Cypriot government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis said that Germany, too, would assist in “preventative measures”, though he did not detail the exact extent to which Germany will offer assistance.

He said that Cypriot Defence Minister Vasilis Palmas and his German counterpart Boris Pistorius will soon hold a discussion to “finalise and clarify the manner of Germany’s assistance”.