UK sending Royal Navy Destroyer warship and helicopters after Iran drone assaults
The UK Government has confirmed it is sending one of its destroyers towards the Middle East in order to protect a British holiday hotspot being targeted by Iran, Sir Keir Starmer has confirmed.
It comes as France reportedly plans to move air defence systems to Cyprus after a British base on the island was hit by a drone. Paris will dispatch a frigate as well as anti-missile and anti-drone systems to the country, the semi-official Cyprus News Agency has said.
The Press Association earlier reported that Britain was looking at whether to send a Type 45 air defence destroyer to the region amid accusations of a lack of air defence as the Middle East war continues to spiral.
(Image: PA Wire)
It has now been confirmed that HMS Dragon, the Type 45 destroyer, will be sent to the region along with helicopters with counter-drone capabilities.
Starmer said the government “always act in the interest of the UK and our allies”.
In a message on X, Starmer said: “The UK is fully committed to the security of Cyprus and British military personnel based there.
“We’re continuing our defensive operations and I’ve just spoken with the President of Cyprus to let him know that we are sending helicopters with counter drone capabilities and HMS Dragon is to be deployed to the region. We will always act in the interest of the UK and our allies.”
(Image: AP)
Hours afterwards, a drone hit RAF Akrotiri, a British sovereign air base on the island, though the Prime Minister said it was launched before his announcement and was not in retaliation.
Defence Secretary John Healey said there were no casualties and the damage to the base was minimal.
The families of service personnel have been moved away from the base as a precaution.
On Monday, a spokesperson for the Cypriot government said two further unmanned drones heading towards the base had been intercepted.
Healey said the drone that struck Akrotiri was an example of the “dangerous and indiscriminate attacks” by Iran and its proxies.
Cypriot government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis spoke about the possibility of French support on Monday, telling reporters it could be “support similar to that of Greece”.
French President Emmanuel Macron and Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides had a phone call “in the context of strengthening the precautionary measures being taken”, he said.
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