Belgian air travel faced major disruption on Tuesday evening after drones were reportedly spotted near key airports. The country’s busiest hub, Brussels Airport, suspended all flights at around 8 pm local time after multiple sightings.

Authorities reopened the airport briefly but were forced to close it again as more drones appeared. Liege Airport also experienced delays, with no clear timeline for when flights would resume. Local reports said drones were also seen near Kleine-Brogel and Florennes military airbases, both critical to Belgium’s defense system.

A Pattern of Drone Intrusions Across Europe

The Belgian incident adds to a growing list of unexplained drone sightings over European airports and sensitive sites.

Just two weeks ago, Lithuania shut two major airports and border crossings with Belarus after a strange helium balloon entered its territory. Similarly, in October, Denmark closed several airports after drones were detected in its airspace — the second such case that month.

Danish Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said the incursions appeared “professional, systematic and hybrid in nature,” suggesting possible coordination behind them.

EU Mulls ‘Drone Wall’ for Air Security

In response to these threats, European Union leaders are discussing plans to build a “drone wall” to defend against air incursions, particularly from Russia.

The proposal came from EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen after Russian drones violated Polish airspace last month. While the exact plan is still evolving, it aims to strengthen Europe’s eastern border defences.

The EU also plans to cooperate with Ukraine, which has developed advanced counter-drone expertise during its ongoing war with Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said, “We are ready to share this experience with our partners.”