On October 2nd, Cyprus was hit by an Iranian-made drone, prompting significant concern within the European Union. The attack has raised discussions about invoking Article 42.7 of the Lisbon Treaty, which stipulates that if a member state is subjected to armed aggression, other member states are obliged to provide military and other forms of assistance. European Commission spokesperson, Paula Pinho, indicated that this issue would be discussed in the coming days amid scheduled meetings on the matter.

In response to the attack, Greece has sent naval support to Cyprus, reflecting the seriousness with which neighboring countries are taking this incident. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, emphasized a collective and clear stance against threats to member nations. Earlier that morning, a Iranian-made Shahed drone attacked the British military base runway in Akrotiri, which is located in southern Cyprus. This attack was followed by the interception of two additional drones, believed to have originated from Lebanon, over Cypriot airspace, leading to evacuation orders for residents and the closure of Paphos Airport, resulting in the cancellation of over 60 flights.

This incident marks the first attack on an EU member state following the outbreak of conflict between the U.S., Israel, and Iran, and it highlights Cyprus's role as the rotating presidency of the EU. Lucas Purlas, a member of the European Parliament from the Democratic Party of Cyprus, has called for urgent EU intervention, declaring that Cypriot security is a European issue. There are growing frustrations within Cyprus regarding the presence of British troops, as the drone attack occurred shortly after UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer's announcement that British bases would be available for U.S. military operations, despite his assurances that no American bombers were being used against Iran from the Akrotiri base.