Five drones hovered over the Île Longue naval base near Brest, France, Thursday evening, prompting the armed forces to fire gunfire, according to local gendarmerie reports.
Brest Naval Base Drone Surveillance
According to the local gendarmerie, five drones were observed over the Île Longue peninsula near the port of Brest on Thursday evening.
The base is responsible for maintaining nuclear‑armed submarines, a key component of France’s nuclear deterrence strategy.
Military Response and Uncertain Outcome
The defending battalion of marine infantry fired shots, but it is unclear whether the drones were destroyed or their origins identified.
French authorities have not yet commented on the incident, although media reports note that drone events in the region occur regularly.
Recent Drone Incidents in Europe
Similar drone activity has been reported across Europe, including Denmark where an airport was temporarily closed in November and again in September.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has described such incidents as hybrid attacks.
Belgium and Other European Alerts
On 6 November, Belgium shut down Liège Airport because of a flying object; unmanned aircraft also appeared over the Belgian nuclear research centre and Antwerp port.
They had previously loitered over various military bases, including a strategic site hosting U.S. nuclear weapons and F‑16 fighters.
Links to Russian Hybrid Tactics
Drone provocations have risen in Europe in recent months and are linked to Russian operations; earlier this week four unidentified drones approached the plane carrying Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Dublin, prompting an Irish police investigation.
