The United Kingdom will send the air‑defence destroyer HMS Dragon to Cyprus and deploy helicopters with anti‑drone capabilities to reinforce security at its RAF Akrotiri base, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said.
Starmer said the UK “is fully committed to the security of Cyprus and British military personnel based there,” following a series of Iranian drone attacks targeting the installation in recent days.
One drone struck the base overnight Sunday, causing minimal damage, while two more were intercepted on Monday, according to a Cypriot government spokesperson.
The deployment marks a significant strengthening of British air‑defence assets in the region as tensions linked to the Middle East crisis continue to rise.