The British sovereign bases in Cyprus have been placed on a state of precautionary military readiness in recent days, amid fears of a possible confrontation between the United States and Iran and concerns over potential Iranian attacks on Washington’s regional allies.
According to The Times, six F‑35 fighter jets departed yesterday from RAF Marham in eastern England and flew to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus to bolster the base’s defensive posture.
“The aircraft were deployed to Cyprus to help protect the base and the UK’s sovereign base areas in the event of a significant deterioration in the regional security situation. The military regularly reviews security arrangements at the base and has decided to increase the assets stationed there,” the report said.
The F‑35s will operate alongside Typhoon jets already based in Cyprus and currently participating in missions against ISIS targets in Iraq and Syria, the newspaper added.
Last month, four Typhoons from the joint UK‑Qatar squadron were sent to Doha at the request of the Qatari government due to heightened regional tensions.
