Britain could still be drawn into direct military action against Iran, after Defence Secretary John Healey refused to rule out the possibility of UK aircraft taking part in future strikes.
Speaking during a visit to Cyprus, Healey was repeatedly asked whether British jets might eventually be used in offensive operations against Iran. His response made clear that the government is keeping its options open.
“As circumstances in any conflict change, you’ve got to be willing to adapt the action you take,”
Military build-up in Cyprus
Healey pointed to several defensive measures already under way, including new deployments to protect British interests in the region.
He said anti-drone helicopters were being brought in overnight, while the Royal Navy’s HMS Dragon will also be deployed to strengthen air defence.
The Defence Secretary added that military planners are being sent to the region to help coordinate international efforts alongside allies.
Those allies include NATO partners and regional partners such as Qatar, Jordan, and Cyprus.
Pressed again on whether British aircraft could take part in offensive strikes over Iran, Healey stressed that all current UK actions remain defensive.
“Everything that we have done is defensive, is legal and is coordinated with other allies,” he said.
Drone attack on British base
The trip to Cyprus came after tensions rose following a drone attack on RAF Akrotiri, one of Britain’s key military bases in the region.
According to Cypriot officials, an Iranian-made Shahed drone launched from Beirut in Lebanon struck a hangar at the base overnight on Monday.
Two additional drones detected the same day were shot down by British warplanes that took off from Akrotiri.
In response, the UK has rushed more military support to the island. More than 400 additional air defence personnel have been sent to British bases in Cyprus, while two Wildcat helicopters equipped with anti-drone missiles are expected to arrive on Friday.
The deployment of HMS Dragon, a Type 45 air-defence destroyer, is also part of the reinforcement, although it is not expected to reach the Mediterranean Sea until next week.
Pressure over Britain’s response
The UK government has faced criticism over the speed and scale of its response.
Kyriacos Kouros, Cyprus’s high commissioner to Britain, said a stronger British military presence was “the least we expect”, noting that other European nations had already deployed naval assets to help defend the island.
Healey defended the government’s actions, saying additional jets, radar systems and drone defence teams had been moved to Cyprus weeks before the conflict erupted on Saturday.
Fighter jets sent to Qatar
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced that four additional British Typhoon fighter jets will be deployed to Qatar as part of the UK’s wider military posture in the region.
Starmer also pushed back against criticism from Donald Trump, who criticised the UK for not participating in the initial strikes against Iran.
The US president reportedly said Starmer was “no Winston Churchill” and described Britain’s position as “very disappointing”, urging the UK to support the United States “without question or hesitation”.
Despite the criticism, Starmer insisted that the UK–US special relationship remains strong.
“Look, the special relationship is in operation right now,” he told reporters.
“We’re sharing intelligence on a 24/7 basis in the usual way. That is the special relationship.”
Sensitive government discussions
The Prime Minister also declined to comment directly on a report from The Spectator, which suggested he had been open to allowing the US to use British bases for the initial strikes on Iran.
The report claimed some Cabinet ministers, including Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, had urged him not to approve the request.
Starmer outlined a timeline of events, explaining that a formal request from the United States was not received until Saturday afternoon. Discussions then continued into Sunday before the government reached a decision later that evening.
The report has raised concerns that sensitive information may have leaked from the government’s National Security Committee.
