France plans to deploy missile defense and anti-drone systems to Cyprus after a British air base on the island was attacked by drones, while Greece has pledged to defend the small Mediterranean state, Reuters reports.

Expressions of support for Cyprus — which has modest defense capabilities and virtually no air force to speak of — followed the attack on the British RAF base at Akrotiri on Monday. Although the base is considered sovereign British territory, it is located near Cypriot communities, forcing hundreds of people to flee their homes as the EU state found itself unexpectedly drawn into the turmoil following US and Israeli strikes on Iran and Tehran's retaliatory attacks across the region.

France will send air defense and anti-drone systems as well as a frigate, Cypriot government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis confirmed, corroborating reports published earlier by state news agency CNA. French President Emmanuel Macron informed Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides of his intention in the early hours of Tuesday morning. In Paris, the French Armed Forces Joint Staff stated that it is continuously assessing the situation and acting in coordination with regional partners to promote stability, particularly within the framework of existing defense agreements.

Cypriot officials earlier said that an Iranian-made Shahed drone, which caused limited damage to the runway at RAF Akrotiri, evaded radar by flying at low altitude and was most likely launched by Hezbollah from Lebanon. Two other drones were also intercepted on Monday. Greece subsequently deployed four F-16 fighters to the island, and two frigates — one equipped with the Centauros drone suppression system — were also heading to Cyprus. Britain has yet to decide whether to send a warship to protect the base, a source close to the matter said on Tuesday.