British military drone activity was tracked operating from RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus in October, according to flight data and statements from activist groups.

Royal Air Force drones were reported to have flown from Akrotiri on October 15, despite the UK government stating that surveillance missions over Gaza had paused from October 16.

According to flight data made available by the activist group Genocide-Free Cyprus, at least two RAF drones operated south of Cyprus at around 25,000 feet before turning back.

In a statement issued on October 16, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) described the missions as “routine training flights.”

Speaking to the Cyprus Mail, Matthew Stavrinides, one of the coordinators for Genocide-Free Cyprus, said he believes Britain may be using the bases to support Israeli military operations, a claim the MoD has not confirmed.

“The bases are involved because of their role in providing live surveillance to Israel over Gaza and facilitating logistical operations,” Stavrinides said.
He expressed concern about the timing of the flights.

“It’s about the presence of these aircraft now, when spy flights over Gaza have been declared terminated. It raises the question of whether surveillance operations may be continuing in the region to support US and Israeli operations,” he said.

Stavrinides criticised Cypriot officials for not commenting publicly on the operations.

“For two years that the genocide has been ongoing, they have made no public comment on the bases,” he told the Cyprus Mail.

He also claimed that some RAF aircraft have used civilian airspace and local airports, citing a reported instance in which an aircraft allegedly departed RAF Akrotiri, conducted operations over Gaza, and landed at Paphos international airport before returning to base. This claim could not be independently verified and has not been confirmed by either government.

Stavrinides suggested that Cypriot bases are used for broader UK military operations in the Middle East, including campaigns in Iraq and Syria, though official details are not disclosed.

An observed flight appeared to follow a repeated or structured path. Stavrinides said it may reflect routine training or signalling by RAF aircraft, though there is no official confirmation.

British officials have previously described surveillance operations as “hostage reconnaissance” missions. Stavrinides rejected that explanation, questioning whether intelligence gathered from Cyprus may be shared with Israeli forces or intelligence agencies, which he said could assist in target acquisition.
Cyprus hosts two British sovereign base areas (SBAs) — Akrotiri and Dhekelia — retained under the 1960 independence agreement. The bases support intelligence gathering, humanitarian relief, and regional security.

Neither the UK Ministry of Defence nor the Cypriot government has publicly commented on the recent flights.

This report is based on verifiable flight-tracking data, official statements, and interviews published by Cyprus Mail. All claims are attributed to named sources and have been checked for factual accuracy. The views expressed are those of the sources and do not represent the position of this publication.