Heightened Security Alert at NATO Air Base in Germany Following Intelligence Reports

The NATO air base in Geilenkirchen, Germany, has heightened its security level due to intelligence reports of a potential threat. This follows recent incidents including suspected sabotage and attempted trespassing. The safety of staff remains a priority as operations continue. NATO attributes these threats to increased Russian hostility.

The NATO air base in Geilenkirchen, Germany, has elevated its security protocols in response to intelligence reports indicating a potential threat, the base announced on Thursday. As a precaution, all non-mission essential staff have been sent home, though operations remain unaffected.

A base spokesperson noted that no further information was available beyond the statement released on social media platform X. This marks the second time in recent weeks that security measures have been intensified at the base, which houses NATO's AWACS surveillance planes. Last week, the nearby military base in Cologne was briefly sealed off during an investigation into a suspected sabotage of its water supply.

On the same day, an attempted trespassing incident at Geilenkirchen prompted a comprehensive security sweep. While the German military later dismissed contamination concerns at the Cologne base, NATO has raised alarms about increasing hostile activities, including sabotage and cyberattacks, allegedly orchestrated by Russia. Analysts have flagged several recent incidents as suspicious, highlighting a broader pattern of escalating tensions between NATO and Russia.

(With inputs from agencies.)