Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 10, 2026
3 min readLast updated: March 10, 2026
Western powers have increased military deployments across the eastern Mediterranean following a March 1 Iranian-made drone strike on the UK’s RAF Akrotiri base in Cyprus, with carrier strike groups, frigates, fighter jets, counter‑drone systems and air‑defence assets dispatched to deter further thre
ATHENS, March 10 - Western nations have bolstered their military presence in the eastern Mediterranean during the conflict in Iran, focusing on the security of Cyprus after an Iranian-made drone hit a British military base on the island on March 2.
Here is a snapshot of military assets that have been sent to the region in addition to those that had been there long-term before the conflict began on February 28.
USS Gerald R. Ford, the biggest U.S. aircraft carrier, docked at the Souda base on the Greek island of Crete two weeks ago, before sailing further east with escort ships carrying missiles.
Britain dispatched Wildcat helicopters on March 6, equipped with counter-drone technology. As speculation mounted in February on U.S.-led strikes on Iran, Britain stationed additional F-35B jets at its base in Cyprus, joining the Typhoon FGR4 aircraft already there.
Britain has said it will also send its destroyer, the HMS Dragon, to Cyprus.
France sent its flagship aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle to the East Mediterranean last week, deploying a dozen naval vessels around it. It was off the Greek island of Crete on Tuesday and was heading to Cyprus.
Another French frigate was docked in Souda base on Tuesday.
German navy frigate FGS Nordrhein-Westfalen arrived in the Cyprus region on March 8.
Greece has sent its new Belharra frigate, Kimon, and MEKO 200 frigate called Psara, equipped with the Centauros anti-drone system, to protect the island's airspace. It also sent 4 F-16 Viper fighter jets to be stationed in western Cyprus and deployed a Patriot anti-aircraft missile system on the southeastern Greek island of Karpathos to protect eastern Crete.
Italy deployed the Martinengo frigate to the region as part of a coordinated mission with EU partners. It was docked in Souda base on Tuesday and was expected to sail to Cyprus in the coming days.
Spain sent its most advanced warship, the Álvaro de Bazán-class frigate Cristobal Colon, to the eastern Mediterranean. It was docked in Souda Bay on Tuesday.
The Netherlands is preparing to send the air defence frigate HNLMS Evertsen to the region.
Turkey has sent six F-16 aircraft and air-defence systems to northern Cyprus, a breakaway Turkish Cypriot state recognized only by Ankara.
(Reporting by Michele Kambas and Lefteris Papadimas; editing by Edward McAllister and Philippa Fletcher)
Western nations are bolstering forces in the region after an Iranian-made drone struck a British base in Cyprus, raising security concerns.
Naval vessels and aircraft from the U.S., Britain, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, and Turkey have been sent to the region.
Cyprus is a strategic location hosting military bases and deployments from multiple Western nations to enhance regional security.
The U.S., Britain, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain, and the Netherlands have all deployed warships or frigates to Eastern Mediterranean.
Greece has sent frigates, fighter jets, and Patriot anti-aircraft missile systems to bolster defense and airspace protection near Cyprus.
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