Brussels Airport Operations Suspended: Multiple Drone Sightings Trigger Security Alert Across Belgian Aviation Hubs

Air traffic operations ceased at Brussels Airport on Tuesday following multiple suspected drone sightings, according to an official spokesperson for the facility.

"Currently, no aircraft are permitted to take off or land due to suspected drone activity in the vicinity," the spokesperson confirmed to AFP.

As a precautionary measure, operations were simultaneously suspended at Belgium's second-largest aviation hub, Charleroi Airport.

Authorities have not provided any timeline regarding when normal flight operations might resume at either location.

Skeyes, the organization responsible for Belgian air traffic control services, has not yet responded to requests for comment on the situation.

These disruptions come amid a concerning series of unexplained drone incidents targeting airports and military installations across several European nations, including Germany and Denmark.

Just days ago, Belgian officials reported unauthorized drone activity over the Kleine-Brogel military installation, a sensitive site believed to house American nuclear weapons.

Belgian military intelligence has initiated an investigation into these sightings.

Defense Minister Theo Francken, while speaking to local media on Monday, declined to explicitly blame Russia but described the incidents as appearing to be "a coordinated operation conducted by professionals."

"These actions seem designed to create panic among Belgian citizens," Francken stated. "This represents a deliberate attempt at destabilization."

Speculation regarding potential Russian involvement in the increased drone activity throughout Europe has intensified, particularly as tensions remain high during the fourth year of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.