On the evening of November 22, 2025, Eindhoven Airport in the Netherlands, a key hub for both civilian and military aviation, found itself at the center of a growing European security concern. The airport was abruptly closed for several hours after multiple drones were spotted in the vicinity, forcing a suspension of all air traffic and triggering a swift response from Dutch authorities. The incident, confirmed by Dutch Defence Minister Ruben Brekelmans, is the latest in a string of mysterious drone sightings that have disrupted airports and military sites across northern Europe in recent months.
The disruption began just after 19:00 local time, when air traffic controllers reported the presence of several drones near the airport’s airspace. Both civilian and military flights were immediately suspended—a rare move reflecting the seriousness of the perceived threat. According to BBC and Reuters, the closure lasted until approximately 22:30 to 23:00, when the all-clear was finally given and operations cautiously resumed. The first flight to land after the reopening was a Transavia service from Tenerife, marking a tentative return to normalcy after hours of uncertainty.
The impact was felt by travelers and airlines alike. Nine arriving flights were forced to divert to airports in Cologne, Weeze, Brussels, Rotterdam, and Amsterdam. Departures were also delayed, with passengers left in limbo as authorities worked to secure the area. The closure of Eindhoven, which primarily serves low-cost carriers like Ryanair and Transavia, was disruptive but perhaps less so than if it had been a major hub airport. Still, the ripple effects were unmistakable, especially for those caught in the chaos of diverted or delayed journeys.
The drama at Eindhoven followed a tense episode just the night before. On November 21, drones were sighted over Volkel Air Base, a highly sensitive NATO facility located about 40 kilometers northeast of Eindhoven. According to a statement from the Dutch Ministry of Defence, personnel deployed ground-based weapons in an effort to bring down the drones, but the devices evaded capture and disappeared before they could be neutralized. "The drones left the area and were not recovered," the ministry reported, underscoring the elusive nature of the threat.
Volkel Air Base holds particular strategic importance. It houses both Royal Netherlands Air Force units and a US Air Force squadron, making it one of the country’s most closely guarded military sites. The fact that drones were able to loiter above such a facility, even briefly, has stoked anxieties among security officials and the public alike.
Minister Brekelmans was quick to reassure the public that authorities were taking the matter seriously. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he stated, "Defence’s counter-drone resources are on standby to intervene. Police and KMar are also on site. Further investigation is ongoing and we will take action where necessary." Later, after flights resumed, he added, "The Ministry of Defence has taken measures, but due to security reasons, it cannot yet share more information about the manner in which this was done. Disruption of air traffic with drones is unacceptable. So we took action against it."
The origins and intentions behind these drone incursions remain shrouded in mystery. The Dutch Defence Ministry has declined to provide further details, citing security concerns. European officials, however, have not hesitated to point fingers. According to VRT NWS and Die Welt, some security sources in Belgium privately suspect Russian involvement, though there is little concrete evidence to confirm this. Moscow, for its part, has flatly denied any connection to these incidents.
What is clear is that the Netherlands is not alone in facing this challenge. Similar drone sightings have been reported in neighboring Belgium, Denmark, and Germany. Earlier in November, both Liège and Brussels airports in Belgium were forced to suspend operations due to drone activity. The consequences were significant: at Brussels, 40 flights were canceled, and the morning rush was thrown into disarray. Belgium’s Defence Minister Theo Francken described the perpetrators as "professionals with malicious intent," reflecting the growing sense of unease among European officials.
The situation has escalated beyond the Benelux region. In September 2025, more than 20 Russian drones reportedly entered Polish airspace, while three Russian military jets violated Estonia’s airspace for 12 minutes. Poland responded by shooting down several drones with NATO support—the first time allied aircraft have downed Russian drones over NATO territory during the ongoing war in Ukraine. The incident was serious enough to prompt Poland to invoke Article 4 of the NATO Treaty, triggering emergency consultations among alliance members.
The pattern is hard to ignore. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has characterized these incursions as "hybrid warfare," a term that captures the blend of conventional and unconventional tactics designed to sow confusion and erode trust. "It’s reckless and unacceptable. We can’t have Russian drones entering allied airspace," said NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, as the alliance announced a new mission, "Eastern Sentry," to strengthen defenses on Europe’s eastern flank.
Back in the Netherlands, the response to the Eindhoven incident has been measured but resolute. Counter-drone teams were put on standby, and both police and military investigators remain at the scene, combing for evidence and clues. The Ministry of Defence has emphasized that it will continue to monitor the situation closely and take action as necessary to protect both civilian and military interests.
For now, flights have resumed and the immediate crisis has passed. But the events of this weekend have left a lingering sense of vulnerability. The skies above Europe, once seen as open and secure, are now the stage for a new kind of contest—one fought not just with fighter jets and missiles, but with small, elusive machines that can appear without warning and vanish just as quickly. As European nations grapple with this evolving threat, one thing is certain: the era of drone incursions has arrived, and the continent’s airports and military bases will never look at their airspace the same way again.
