Hezbollah eyes four Cypriot targets, citing limited air defenses

Shafaq News/ On Friday, Israeli media identified potential targets that Hezbollah could strike in Cyprus, highlighting several strategic locations.

Channel 12 Hebrew reported that Cyprus has a small and relatively weak air force with outdated equipment. The western regions of Cyprus, approximately 300 kilometers from the Lebanese coast, host four main airbases.

The western part of the Cypriot island includes an air force base near Cyprus International Airport, an area known for tourism and holidaymaking. According to Channel 12, this airbase is within Hezbollah's striking range.

The report identified Paphos Airbase as the largest and most important in Cyprus, housing essential Air Force infrastructure along with numerous communications units.

Another potential target is the air force base in the Lakatamia area southwest of Nicosia, which serves as the headquarters of the Cypriot air force and contains several aircraft and air surveillance units.

The Troodos Mountain Range, the largest on the island, is also seen as a potential target in the worst-case scenario. The report noted that the base in Troodos, while lacking an airstrip, functions as a radar station with numerous surveillance units, radar systems, command and control systems, and air defense systems.

The report added that one of the most critical aerial targets in Cyprus is the "Akrotiri" base of the Royal Air Force, located near Limassol in southern Cyprus. "Akrotiri" is an exclusive British military base that does not host Cypriot air force activities. It is the only British-operated air force base in the Mediterranean, used for operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, and more recently against the Houthis in Yemen.

The channel noted that "Akrotiri" has previously hosted US military operations, though it is unclear if it has seen Israeli army activities.

Last Wednesday, the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, warned Cyprus against allowing its airports and bases to be used by Israel to target Lebanon. This warning came during a speech commemorating Talib Abdullah, a prominent Hezbollah leader who died last week from Israeli fire. Nasrallah revealed information suggesting that Israel, which conducts annual exercises in Cyprus, might use Cypriot airports and bases to attack Lebanese territories if Hezbollah targets Israeli airports.