Germany faces daily 'hybrid warfare' attacks, minister warns after explosive drone found at airport

"We're not at war, but we are the daily target of hybrid warfare," Dobrindt said. "Espionage, sabotage, cyberattacks, or covert operations by foreign powers aimed at destabilizing Germany."

German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt says attacks by foreign powers have become a constant threat to Germany. His remarks come just days after an explosive-laden drone was found at Leipzig airport.

BERLIN, Aug 9 - Germany faces daily hybrid warfare attacks from abroad, Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt was quoted as saying on Sunday, following a suspected attack attempt involving an explosive-laden drone at Leipzig/Halle Airport.

Two drones were spotted flying over a German military base in the western part of the country earlier this week, just two days after a drone carrying explosives was found at a key cargo airport, the German Armed Forces said on Saturday.

US intelligence believes explosives-equipped drone at German airport likely belongs to Moscow, WSJ reports  The Kyiv Independent

Two drones have been spotted flying over a German military base in the western part of the country earlier this week, just two days after a drone carrying explosives was found at a key cargo airport

2 drones spotted flying over German military base after drone with explosives found at cargo airport  AP News

Germany holds security meeting over explosive drone amid Russia protest  euractiv.com

Incident happened close to Ukrainian cargo plane believed to be carrying weapons, but Moscow denies any involvement

U.S. intelligence believes an explosive-laden drone found near Germany‘s Leipzig/Halle Airport was owned by the Russian government, according to a Wall Street Journal report citing unnamed officials. The United States had hinted at a hostile foreign actor being behind the incident, but Russia hadn’t been directly accus

The man spotted the drone flying low while he was working at Leipzig/Halle airport late on Tuesday, then kicked out at it in what Detlef Seif described as a courageous but dangerous act.

Germany holds security meeting over explosive drone amid Russia protest

Chancellor Friedrich Merz held a call on Friday to discuss the incident earlier this week at a German airport, when a drone laden with explosives crashed but did not detonate. Federal prosecutors have launched a counterterrorism probe into the incident at Leipzig/Halle Airport.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz convened Germany's national security council Friday to discuss an explosive-laden drone found near a Ukrainian cargo plane and the mid-air collision of another aircraft with an unidentified object this week.

A bus driver knocked an explosive-laden drone out of the air, potentially preventing an attack this week at a German airport that serves as a major Nato and cargo logistics hub, a senior lawmaker said ‌on Friday. The man spotted the drone flying low while he was working at Leipzig/Halle airport late on Tuesday, then ki

Bus driver kicked explosive drone out of the air at German airport, lawmaker says  Reuters

The drone incident was framed as the latest in a series of hybrid attacks across Europe

Even with a range of high-tech equipment such as underwater drones and helicopter-mounted lasers, clearing the Strait of Hormuz of Iranian sea mine threats will be a painstaking and challenging process.

Russian attack? Explosive drone targeted parked aircraft at Leipzig airport.

Authorities say an explosive drone found near a jet in Leipzig was a "serious attack" on Germany - amid reports the Ukrainian aircraft was loaded with ammunition.

German authorities have launched a counterterrorism investigation following the discovery of the drone amid mounting security concerns.

A drone with explosives was found at Germany's Leipzig/Halle Airport and the device was defused, authorities said Wednesday, in an incident that the country's top security official said posed a 'new quality of danger.'

Germany warns of ‘new threat’ after explosives-packed drone targets airport  CNN

The Federal Police’s bomb disposal unit removed the detonator, officials said.

Leipzig/Halle is one of Europe’s most important cargo airports and a key hub for military transport. After the latest incident, the question arises again: why does this site repeatedly become a focus of suspected sabotage?

"There are many indications pointing in that direction," said Dobrindt.

In Germany, a drone carrying an explosive device was discovered and defused on the tarmac at Leipzig Airport. A second flying object then struck a cargo plane, causing minor damage. Air traffic was suspended for two hours. A Russian connection is being suggested. The interior minister describes a new dimension of threa

Regional police and prosecutors said an airport employee discovered a drone near the airport's south runway with "an unknown explosive device," and the object was examined by police

German authorities are investigating how a drone packed with explosives reached Leipzig/Halle Airport.

A second drone may have collided with a plane in the air over the airport, damaging the aircraft slightly, the authorities say.

Investigators treating incident as part of ‘professional hybrid threat scenario’, says Alexander Dobrindt Germany’s interior minister has warned that the discovery of a drone carrying explosives at Leipzig airport marks “a new level of danger” for the country, as authorities will investigate whether the thwarted attack

The airport is a major cargo hub and the planes located there include Ukrainian Antonov transport aircraft.

Flights were briefly suspended and several cargo planes were diverted, though authorities said there was no danger to passengers or airport staff.

Germany investigating a series of apparently related incidents at Leipzig airport, including an armed explosive drone and a mid-air collision.

August 05, 2026 11:12 AM ET A German airport suspended flights after a staff member discovered a drone equipped with an explosive device near the runway, before a cargo plane was rerouted after colliding with a second unidentified flying object early Wednesday, police said.A bomb disposal robot was deployed at the Leip

Incident appears to mark an escalation after two years of drone incursions at European airports

Air traffic at Leipzig/Halle airport was briefly suspended on Tuesday night after a plane collided with an unknown object mid-air and an explosives-laden drone was found near a Ukrainian plane, raising suspicions of Russian interference.

Air traffic at Leipzig/Halle airport was briefly suspended on Tuesday night after a plane collided with an unknown object mid-air and an explosives-laden drone was found near a Ukrainian plane, raising suspicions of Russian interference.

A drone carrying an explosive device has been found at a German airport, police say.

A cargo plane struck an unidentified flying object midair and a drone carrying an explosive device was discovered at Germany's Leipzig airport.

A drone of unknown origin was discovered overnight on August 5 at Leipzig Airport, the German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung and other German outlets reported.

A German newspaper reported that the drone carried explosives and a detonator – but police have not confirmed this and said the investigation is ongoing.

German police deployed a bomb disposal robot at an airport overnight after a drone was found on the tarmac near a Ukrainian cargo plane, sparking alarm and forcing the diversion of numerous flights.