Police in Cyprus have placed more than 180 sites under surveillance and stationed guards outside schools attended by Israeli and French nationals, as security measures across the island reached their highest level of readiness following the Iranian drone strike on RAF Akrotiri.
Police orders were updated from Monday afternoon after the strike on the British base, which authorities believe may have been carried out from Beirut via Hezbollah. Static guards have been posted at private schools — from kindergartens to colleges — attended exclusively by Israeli or French students, both during arrival times and until closing. Hotels frequented by Israelis are also being monitored, along with shopping centres, foreigner gathering spots in city centres, embassies, Israeli-interest companies, the casino in Limassol, and water treatment plants.
A Crisis Management Centre is operating at Police Headquarters, with a supervising officer appointed to be briefed on all suspicious incidents. Special police united and local police stations have all been mobilised, with officers ordered to intercept and seek backup for any suspicious individual. Police have recalled all staff from leave since the start of the US-led aggression against Iran.
Embassies have effectively become fortresses, no longer receiving members of the public even by appointment. Police are in continuous contact with foreign missions affected by the conflict, while intelligence services remain on standby for rapid intervention. Checkpoint controls have been tightened, particularly for individuals arriving from the occupied territories, as well as for arrivals at airports.
Separately, a suspected espionage case is being investigated involving an Azerbaijani man and his Estonian partner, both travelling on Russian passports, who were reportedly moving between Larnaca, Limassol, and Paphos. Evidence found in their possession may possibly link the case to another Azerbaijani national detained last year on suspicion of surveilling the British Base at Akrotiri. The two suspects are due back in court tomorrow for a remand renewal hearing.
Justice Minister Costas Fytris said today that Cyprus is not a target and that the Republic is not in danger, urging the public to rely on credible media outlets rather than social media for information.
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