France, Italy and Greece have agreed to align their military presence in Cyprus and the eastern Mediterranean in response to rising regional tensions. According to a source close to the French presidency, President Emmanuel Macron held telephone talks with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, during which the three leaders decided to coordinate deployments and cooperate in safeguarding maritime traffic, including in the Red Sea.

At the same time, French authorities rejected claims that U.S. combat aircraft are operating from French bases in the Middle East. Officials from the office of France’s chief of defense staff clarified that such reports are inaccurate. They did confirm, however, that American refueling planes were permitted to use a base in southern France. Paris secured assurances that these aircraft would not take part in direct strikes against Iran but would instead support defensive operations aimed at protecting regional partners.

Spain has also moved naval assets to the area. The frigate Cristóbal Colón is being dispatched to the eastern Mediterranean to strengthen Cyprus’s air defense posture following drone incidents linked to Iran. The Spanish vessel will integrate into a broader European naval formation composed of Dutch, Greek and Italian ships, operating alongside the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, which is heading toward the region.

Madrid has sought to distance itself from the U.S.-Israeli campaign targeting Iran. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has declined participation in offensive operations and refused U.S. access to Spanish air bases for missions connected to the conflict. Nonetheless, Spain views its deployment to Cyprus as part of a collective European security effort rather than alignment with American strikes.

On the island, Cypriot Defense Minister Vasilis Palmas met with U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey to discuss the evolving security environment. Palmas stressed the importance of stronger coordination and clearer communication in crisis management, particularly regarding civilian protection. The meeting followed frustration in Nicosia over what was perceived as a slow British response to a recent drone attack on the Royal Air Force base at Akrotiri.

A senior Cypriot official indicated that the drone which struck the British facility originated from Beirut. The unmanned aircraft, described as a Shahed-type system, hit the base shortly after midnight on Monday, while subsequent drones were intercepted later the same day. Beirut is a known operational base for Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group. In mid-2024, months before his death, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah had warned that Cyprus could become a target if Israeli forces used the island’s infrastructure for military action against the group.