Unidentified drones triggered a four-hour shutdown at Eindhoven Airport as European officials warn of rising UAV incursions targeting military sites.
Flights were suspended for hours at one of the Netherlands’ busiest regional airports after multiple sightings of unidentified drones forced authorities to close local airspace, deepening concerns over a surge in unexplained Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), activity across northern Europe.
Eindhoven Airport halted all operations for about four hours on Saturday November 22, 2025, after drones were spotted flying over the region for a second consecutive day. At least nine flights were diverted to other cities, leaving passengers stranded and prompting a rapid security response.
The incident began late Friday November 21, 2025, when drones were detected above Volkel Air Base, a major military installation used by the Royal Netherlands Air Force and home to a U.S. Air Force squadron as part of NATO operations. Dutch military personnel attempted to shoot down the UAVs, but officials said the devices managed to escape unharmed.
When the drones reappeared on Saturday November 22, 2025, authorities imposed an immediate closure of the surrounding airspace. Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans said security measures were taken but declined to share details, citing operational secrecy.
“Disruption of air traffic with drones is unacceptable,” he said. “We took action against it.”
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The unexplained incursions are the latest in a growing pattern of drone activity targeting or circling military facilities across northern Europe. Similar UAV sightings have been reported at other Dutch air bases, as well as at installations in Belgium, Denmark and Germany.
Investigators have yet to identify the operators behind the drones. However, several European officials have suggested the activity may be linked to Russia’s “hybrid warfare” tactics, noting that affected countries are among those providing military support to Ukraine. Moscow has dismissed the allegations, calling them unfounded and politically motivated.
The uptick in incidents has triggered coordinated defensive planning across Europe. Defense ministers from ten countries recently announced the creation of a “drone wall” — a joint initiative aimed at improving surveillance, detection and rapid response against hostile UAVs along their borders.
Individual nations are also moving ahead with their own counter-drone strategies. The Netherlands, like several of its neighbors, has been expanding its use of anti-UAV jamming technology and investing in new interception systems to protect civilian airports and military sites.
Saturday’s closure at Eindhoven underscores how even small drones can cause significant disruption to travel and defense operations. With investigations ongoing and no confirmed source behind the incursions, European security officials warn that further incidents remain likely as airspace vulnerabilities continue to be tested.
