Drones spotted over Belgian military base for third night in a row

For a third consecutive night, drones were spotted Sunday evening above the Kleine-Brogel military base in Belgium, several local media reported.

A helicopter was deployed after military base personnel saw the drones. However, by then they had disappeared and reportedly flown north towards the Netherlands, the national broadcaster VRT wrote.

A drone sighting was also reported above the military base in the Limburg province on Saturday and Friday. Belgian Defence Minister Theo Francken said on Sunday morning that an investigation was under way.

"It was not a regular overflight, but a clear mission targeting Kleine Brogel," Francken wrote on X.

Drones sightings also occurred this weekend above the military terrains of Leopoldburg and Marches-en-Famenne, as well as the airports of Deurne and Ostend.

Last month, 15 unidentified drones were spotted flying over the Elsenborn military base near the German border.

Who is behind the drones and the motive for the incursions remains unclear.

However, several suspicious drone sightings across Europe have fuelled a debate among European leaders over the feasibility of a so-called "drone wall" to protect the eastern edge of the continent against drone incursions believed to be from Russia.