France, March 9 -- President Macron travelled to Cyprus on Monday, just days after dispatching a warship to the eastern Mediterranean island following a drone strike that hit a British air base on its southern coast during the ongoing Iran war.

The visit comes amid heightened tensions after a Shahed drone struck the RAF Akrotiri air base last week, marking the first drone attack of the conflict to hit European territory.

In response, Macron ordered the French frigate Languedoc to waters off Cyprus to reinforce the island's anti-drone and anti-missile defences. Paris has also decided to deploy ground-based systems designed to counter drones and missiles, signalling a swift effort to strengthen the island's protection.

Macron's trip also...