Akrotiri, Cyprus. The United Kingdom has so far not been involved in attacks carried out by the United States and Israel on Iran, according to reports on Saturday, though its presence at its Akrotiri air force base is being bolstered.
Aircraft movements linked to Akrotiri
As of midday on Saturday, a Royal Air Force Airbus A400M military transport aircraft was flying south of Crete after departing from the Brize Norton airbase in Oxfordshire and was likely headed towards Akrotiri. A second A400M was as of midday flying the same route and was over southern Italy.
Earlier, at around 10am, a UK government-branded Dassault Falcon 900LX business jet departed from Akrotiri and headed west towards continental Europe and was as of midday also over southern Italy, likely en route to the UK mainland.
UK stance and planned security meeting
The BBC reported that the UK “did not participate” in Saturday morning’s strikes and that British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is expected to chair a high-level national security “Cobra meeting” later on Saturday.
Reuters quoted a UK government spokesperson as saying that Iran must never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon and that the UK has continually supported efforts to reach a negotiated solution.
Recent deployments and regional posture
Earlier this month, it was reported that the UK deployed a total of six F-35B fighter jets from the Royal Air Force base in Marham, Norfolk, to Cyprus to defend the base and sovereign base territories should the situation in the region become “hot”.
The report said the British government has concerns the US could attack Iran and plunge the region into a wider conflict, and that the F-35B jets would join Typhoon jets already stationed in Cyprus and carrying out missions over Iraq and Syria.
It also reported that four Typhoon fighter jets based at Akrotiri were deployed to Qatar last month following a request by the Qatari government, which cited “rising regional tensions”.
Growing role of UK bases in Cyprus
The salience of the UK’s bases in Cyprus has grown in recent years as regional tensions have heightened, with the UK previously bolstering its military presence on the island last summer in response to missiles fired by Iran and Israel at one another.
What impact could the UK’s bolstered presence at Akrotiri have on regional security?
