A stray missile said to be from the conflict between Israel and Syria has blasted into a mountainside in Cyprus.
The errant projectile, said to be made in Russia, exploded at around 1am local time on Monday, causing a blaze and creating a blast heard for miles around.
There were no casualties, though the blast caused widespread concern on the island and prompted calls for the warring parties to respect their neighbours' safety.
"It is understood that a missile fired from Syria fell here by accident, as a result of being fired in an uncontrolled way by batteries ... in response to the intense attacks yesterday evening by Israel," Kudret Ozersay, the Turkish Cypriot foreign minister, said at a news conference.
"Based on our initial assessment, it is the remains of a missile which is known as S-200 in the Russian system and SA-5 in the NATO system.”
Mr Ozersay said in a statement on Facebook that the explosion was thought to have occurred before impact because there were no craters and debris was found at several different points.
An Israeli air strike was underway against Syria at the time of the explosion.
Syrian state media said the Syrian air defences had fired in response.
The explosion occurred in the region of Tashkent, also known as Vouno, some 12 miles northeast of Nicosia.
Residents told Cypriot media they saw a light in the sky and three loud explosions were heard for miles around,
Authorities evacuated some homes in Tashkent, a small village in the foothills of a mountain range rimming northern Cyprus.
The incident was the first time that Cyprus has been caught in the crosshairs of military operations in the Middle East despite its proximity.
"Undoubtedly we invite Syria, Israel and another countries in the region to take into account the human and material security of neighbouring countries, to take the necessary measures and for everyone to behave calmly," said Mr Ozersay.
Additional reporting by agencies.
