Dutch military fires on drones over air base near German border

Several drones were spotted near the Dutch airport of Eindhoven, leading to a suspension of military and civilian flights, Defence Minister Ruben Brekelmans said on X on Saturday evening.

Investigations into the incident are ongoing, he said, adding that "we will take action if necessary."

A spokeswoman for Eindhoven Airport confirmed the sightings to dpa, saying that take-offs and landings were currently not possible.

Flights en route to Eindhoven, located in the southern Netherlands, are being rerouted, according to the airport's website.

It comes after Dutch troops at Volkel Air Base near Nijmegen fired at several drones flying over the facility on Friday evening, according to the Defence Ministry.

The drones were fired at using ground weapons, the ministry said in a statement on Saturday, without specifying what weapons were used.

The drones departed the area and were never recovered, it said.

Drones have repeatedly caused disruptions to European airspace in recent months, including in Belgium, Germany and Denmark.