The Iranian threat may not stop at the Middle East. If Donald Trump decided to escalate the war and strike the Islamic Republic’s infrastructure, Tehran would be considering possible attacks against U.S. military targets even in Europe. This was revealed by the Financial Times, which cites sources close to the Iranian regime and points especially to the southeast of the continent, with Bulgaria and Cyprus among the areas considered for possible retaliation.
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Not all American bases, however, are exposed in the same way. What makes the difference is particularly the distance from Iran and, therefore, the range of the missiles available to Tehran. According to the Council on Foreign Relations, the Islamic Republic possesses the largest arsenal of ballistic missiles in the Middle East. Its longest-range systems are generally credited with a range of around 2,000 kilometers, possibly even more, enough to reach parts of southeastern Europe and the eastern Mediterranean, but not automatically putting all U.S. installations on the continent within range.
Among the most exposed outposts is Bezmer, in Bulgaria, an airbase also used to support American tanker aircraft operations. Further south, in the eastern Mediterranean, RAF Akrotiri holds particular importance, the large British installation in Cyprus, a strategic hub for intelligence and reconnaissance activities and for operations towards the Middle East.
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Akrotiri has already been directly involved in the conflict. In March, the base was hit by an Iranian-made Shahed drone, causing no casualties and limited damage. According to British and Cypriot officials cited by Reuters, the aircraft was probably launched by Hezbollah from Lebanon. Subsequently, the British government also referred to the attack carried out by a drone linked to an Iranian proxy.
The incident occurred while London and Washington were discussing the use of British installations. Prime Minister Keir Starmer had initially ruled out the use of UK bases for American offensive attacks against Iran. London then authorized Washington to use them for a purpose defined by the British government as “specific and limited”: to strike Iranian missiles in depots or launch sites to prevent new attacks in the region. Trump criticized the British position, arguing that the opening came too late. The London government also clarified that the drone directed against Akrotiri was launched before the announcement of the decision.
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