Newsroom
Cyprus residents reported seeing bright lights in the sky on Tuesday night, which may be linked to the debris from Iranian ballistic missiles launched toward Israel. While some social media posts speculated that the lights were due to British military exercises, sources suggest they were likely remnants from missile shoot-downs that fell over the horizon.
The Cyprus Ministry of Defence confirmed that the country remains on alert, but emphasized that there is no immediate danger to Cyprus.
Απο Λεμεσο.. pic.twitter.com/ruoVKNoys4
— Terry Christofides (@terry2deserveu) October 1, 2024
In response to the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel, Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulidis has convened an emergency meeting of the National Security Council, scheduled for Wednesday morning, to address the evolving regional situation. Government Spokesman Konstantinos Letympiotis stated that the council will review the latest developments, especially regarding Iran's missile strikes and Israel's ongoing operations in Gaza and along the Lebanese border.
In a related move, Greece has offered assistance by providing a C-130 transport aircraft to help evacuate Cypriot nationals from Lebanon. Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias confirmed the offer after a request from Cyprus Defense Minister Vassilis Palmas.
Although there has not yet been a formal request for a large-scale evacuation operation, a number of citizens and diplomatic personnel from various countries have already begun leaving Lebanon, using Cyprus as a transit point.
Additionally, 11 flights from European countries bound for Tel Aviv were diverted to Larnaca Airport due to the volatile situation in Israel. Hermes Airports, which manages Larnaca Airport, has stated that it is prepared to accommodate more diverted flights as tensions in the Middle East continue.
