Iran War: Turkey Sends F-16s to Northern Cyprus, Macron Visits the Island

Turkey has deployed six F-16 fighter jets along with air defense systems to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) as tensions in the Middle East intensify. The Ankara Defense Ministry announced that the deployment, based at Ercan Airport in the Turkish-controlled part of the island, is part of a plan to strengthen security amid regional instability, and that further measures may be implemented if needed.

French President Emmanuel Macron is visiting Cyprus today following talks with US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. Macron aims to bolster security in the eastern Mediterranean and has stressed that Iran must ensure freedom of navigation by lifting the effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. He became the first Western leader to speak with Iran’s president since the conflict began.

After the conversation with Pezeshkian, Macron wrote on the social network Ex that he expressed “serious concern about the development of Iran’s nuclear and missile programs, as well as its destabilizing actions in the region, which are at the root of the current conflict.” He added that a diplomatic solution is urgently needed to end the escalation and preserve peace. Details of his discussion with Trump have not yet been released.

The conflict has already disrupted air travel on the island. Nearly 40 flights to and from Larnaca International Airport were canceled, with 19 of them connected to Middle Eastern countries such as Israel, Lebanon, and the United Arab Emirates, according to airport authorities.

The Turkish Defense Ministry emphasized that the F-16s and air defense systems were deployed following a drone attack on the island, with the six jets stationed as part of broader security preparations. TRNC is recognized only by Ankara, while the southern, predominantly Greek Cypriot part of Cyprus holds the rotating presidency of the European Union Council.

The island has been directly affected by retaliatory strikes following US-Israeli attacks on Iran. Nicosia reported that a drone, likely launched by the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia in Lebanon, targeted a British military base. In response, several European countries have pledged to send air defense units and other military assets to Cyprus. Macron has ordered the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, along with a frigate and air defense systems, to move to the Mediterranean to reinforce security on the island.