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France investigates reports of drones over nuclear sub base
French marines fired on five drones over Île Longue naval base, home to nuclear submarines, prompting a military probe amid suspicions of hybrid warfare tactics, officials said.
- On December 4, French marines opened fire at five unidentified drones detected around 7:30 p.m. over the Île Longue naval base, the Atlantic hub for France's ballistic-missile submarines.
- The incident follows a wave of similar overflights across Europe, with drone incursions over military sites in Denmark, the Netherlands, and Belgium suspected as Russian hybrid-warfare tactics.
- The marine infantry battalion launched a search and anti-drone operation, firing multiple anti-drone shots while Liberation reported the drones were 'neutralized', though authorities have not confirmed this.
- The military prosecutor's office in Rennes opened a formal investigation on Friday, and Defence Minister Catherine Vautrin confirmed troops intercepted the overflight while officials said sensitive infrastructure was not threatened and declined to attribute the incident.
- Security analysts warn the pattern signals hybrid-warfare probing critical infrastructure, with some reports linking launches to Russian-linked cargo ships; Guillaume Le Rasle said, "There are precedents".
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Drones flew over a French submarine military base, endangering national security. Jean-Claude Allard, an expert in defence and security policy at the Institute of International Relations...
Several drones flew over the ultra-secure submarine base of Long Island, Crozon peninsula, on Thursday, December 4, 2025. An investigation has been opened, but "no connection to foreign interference is made", for the time being, is in charge of the Rennes Public Prosecutor's Office.
Coverage Details
Total News Sources72
Leaning Left17Leaning Right13Center15Last UpdatedBias Distribution38% Left
Bias Distribution
- 38% of the sources lean Left
38% Left
L 38%
C 33%
R 29%
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