The United Kingdom is deploying additional fighter jets and support aircraft to the Middle East as the conflict between Israel and Iran intensifies, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has confirmed.
Speaking aboard a government aircraft en route to an emergency G7 summit in Canada, Starmer acknowledged the rapidly evolving crisis and announced a reinforcement of the Royal Air Force presence in the region. This includes further Typhoon FGR4 multirole fighters and Voyager air-to-air refuelling aircraft, which will operate from RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus.
“This is not only fast-moving, it’s intense,” the Prime Minister told reporters. “We are moving assets to the region, including jets, and that is for contingency support. I will always make the right decisions for the UK.”
The move is part of the UK’s wider contingency planning amid fears that Iranian retaliation could extend beyond Israel to include British and allied bases in the region. Iranian state media has already threatened strikes against UK, French, and US military installations should those nations assist Israel.
The UK Defence Journal understands that Typhoon jets were recently launched from RAF Akrotiri to counter a renewed one-way attack UAV threat from Iran. The Ministry of Defence has not yet responded to a request for comment on this but we will let you know when they do.
Downing Street sources have indicated that the UK was not informed in advance of Israel’s recent strike on Iranian territory, known as Operation Rising Lion, and has not contributed any direct military support to the operation. The British Government has also sought to distance itself from escalating regional tensions, reiterating its commitment to de-escalation and diplomacy.
The increased RAF deployment follows last year’s similar move, when British aircraft were sent to the region to help deter potential spillover from rising hostilities. With the latest missile exchanges claiming lives in northern Israel, the decision to reinforce RAF Akrotiri was reportedly taken on Friday morning as ministers assessed the likelihood of broader conflict.
Despite growing regional insecurity, the UK has remained consistent in urging restraint. “The Prime Minister has repeatedly emphasised the need for a diplomatic solution,” said a senior government official.
However, relations between the UK and Israel have been strained in recent weeks following British sanctions imposed on two Israeli ministers, leading some in Jerusalem to question London’s reliability as a strategic partner.
As the G7 prepares to convene in Canada to discuss the crisis, the UK’s bolstered military posture underscores its intent to protect its forces and allies in the region, while remaining cautious not to be drawn directly into the widening confrontation.
Typhoon jets moved to a base that has no defence against Ballistic missiles if Iran decides to widen it’s response.
No lessons learned from 3 years of war in Ukraine, nor from the US forces with brain injuries when US bases in the regions have been hit.
Why just ballistic missiles?
Even the brain dead at the MOD must see the need for GBAD at AKI – surely?! or maybe that’s too much for them to grasp
Probably hoping to send a T45 like last time. They should also get a land Ceptor battery there asap.
You don’t know what defence capabilities are at Akrotiri. What we do know is there is a sqn of Typhoons operating from the station and have been for many years. Along with many other allied nations using the base.
We do know that our only system capable of shooting down a ballistic missile are the PAAMS and the Aster 30 on the Type 45 destroyer, so if we don’t have one of those in the area, that base is defenceless against Iranian missile strikes.
I have my doubts there is some super secret alternative system that we don’t know about.
There are three T45 at sea presently, none seems to be heading to the eastern Mediterranean. There are several Arleigh Burkes near Cyprus and there are numerous US forces based in Cyprus at the moment.
I believe the main air defence threat will be drones not ballistic missiles which is why more typhoons are being moved.
Three? Which is the third? I know Dragon is operational, and one is with the CSG, but where’s the third?
The common sense reply Jim, as was John Simpson’s this morning which put the threat into serious perspective. Iran is up to its neck in trying to cope with their present situation so as he stated the only wider threat would be a serious un-calculated mistake which is always possible but a remote possibility in regard to Akrotiri. Iranian ballistic missiles are so inaccurate it’s debatable they could even hit the base without a serious barrage that would be far better exploited elsewhere. A wider conflict would be catastrophic to them despite the hyperbole and even the Russians recognise that their only (if ironic) option is going to the table to get a deal it’s just when. Even in the worst case scenario any threat would almost certainly as you say drones.
Doesn’t mean we don’t need improved air defence pretty much everywhere but we also have to keep immediate perspective too.
Dauntless, defender and dragon are all shown at sea in ship tracker, two in Irish Sea one east of suez.
@ Spyinthesky
Agree, definitely need some form of land based ABM but we are far from defences as other alleged.
I suspect this is why just 1 T45 made the journey with PoW.
Luckily Jim, Iranian ballistic missiles arn’t very accurate, so they are just as likely to miss Akrotiri and stike built up areas in Cyprus…
That’s a risk Iran ‘probably’ won’t take….
These systems definitely do exist. Unfortunately they are only in Captain Complacents head.
The RAF reg are providing force protection – that’s it
Robert it’s naive of you to imagine that AKI is defended by capabilities which just dont exist.
Yeah…let’s put some more rare and expensive aircraft on an unprotected airfield next to an active wazrzone.
Outside signalling that our Prime Minister is a “man of action” could someone explain the logic of deploying additional fastjets and tankers to AKI?
Currently Iran is throwing 100s of ballistic missiles around 180 miles away from RAF Akrotiri whilst muttering darkly about hurting the so-called enablers of Israel.
There is nothing at AKI which can defend against a ballistic missile. There is no GBAD, there are no hardened aircraft shelters. If Tehran chose to set AKI on fire there is nothing to stop them. It would seem a bit silly to give them more things to burn. If the government wants to help I would suggest immediately sendng any available Type 45 Destroyer or asking the Americans if we can borrow an Arleigh Burke and then parking it off the coast of Cyprus. Anything else is just silly and just reinforces the conclusion that our leaders are vapid clowns.
GRANDSTANDING.
Our politicians have been experts at that for decades.
If Starmer and Healey materialise out there, expect photo ops with rolled up sleeves, hands on hips.
If Iran was going to launch ballistic missiles at RAF Akrotiri, they would have plenty of warning time so they could sortie the Typhoons that are stationed there, also said ballistic missiles would probably be intercepted before they even hit, so why are people getting so wound up about things that are unlikely to happen??
Kier starmer has no brain. Move offensive assets where they can be attacked! Or maybe thats his plan to drag us into a war.
David, lessons from enemies with ballistic missiles should have been learned in 1944! That time the enemy used them, hundreds of times.
David I concur, no GBAD, DEW, BMD absolutely insane
With the sensors on that island, at least we will see through missiles coming.
Knowing Cypress well and the base. It would a simple task to import FPV drones and launch attacks from elsewhere on the Island. I know there are measures against this but Akrotiti faces a number of possible threat scenarios.
Well yes, you can drive right past most places of sensitivity.
As others have stated Iran has already made threats to the wider west about hitting bases in the region. The insanity of not having adequate numbers of T45s and all levels of ground based air defences is a real live issue for the UK now.
Let’s hope a T45 is in the area to protect the base. The carrier group is also roughly in the right place, so let’s make sure they stay near Iran and if necessary cancel the rest of their Asia tour.
I don’t get it, as they say. Is the UK about to enter the show and defend Israel? If so, I would suggest that’s unwise at this stage, considering there is no real air defence against ballistic missiles at our Cyprus base, and Iran’s capability to hit a target of over a thousand miles has been demonstrated.
Getting ready to strike back at Iran if they attack UK or allied interests, for example trying to close the strait of Hormuz.
Mostly deterrent posturing. Although some are reporting that a Voyager was tracked flying over Syria.
It’s the supposedly vulnerable airspace over Cyprus that concerns me, unless there are defence systems we don’t know about?
They will deplete there assets though unless china supplies them!
more like starmer trying to be a show-off, nobody thinks we can do anything without american backing now
Sir Liealot, “I’ll always do my best for the UK”. Warning incoming, “GAS LIGHTING”..
Take Cover.
With so few aircraft in the RAF it,s dangerous to expose them ro iranian ballistic missiles.
While Israel uses special forces, drone attacks from within, Mossad, and LGB precision strikes from jets, Iran can only send Drones and not accurate ballistic missiles in reply.
Their bark as always, seems worse than their bite, though Israelis will still be killed.
On Akrotiri. I find it baffling why Sky Sabre is permanently deployed to Mount Pleasant in the Falklands, where there is no current threat, but not Akrotiri.
And not just Akrotiri, if Ayios Nikolios or the other communication sites at the Salt Lake were hit that would be disastrous for UK defence.
I really hope that this is purely a precautionary move should the SBA need air defence against drone or missile attack, and they don’t end up being used as goalkeepers for Israeli air defence. Israel is perfectly capable of defending itself, we don’t have the mass to get involved with what’s happening now.
It just illustrates though the bull stupidity of the MOD that some three and a half years after Russia attacked Ukraine, they still can’t equip critical defence infrastructure with adequate GBAD.
Agree.
Israel has some of, if not the, best air defence in the world.
They need to.
And we contributed last time with 2 Typhoons? With HMG of course grandstanding after.
This must be for our own defence. Stay out of it.
If we do take part in defensive moves to assist Israel against drones / missiles we will not do so on our own, it will be in step with the US. Then if Iran decides to attack Akrotiri then that opens up an entirely different Bag of 💩. Will Iran directly attack the US ? They would be nuts to do so and the same applies to our bases in Cyprus as it would have exactly the same consequence.
Cyprus isn’t a member of NATO hence it isn’t covered by article 5 of the NATO Treaty ! However the UK Sovereign bases and any forces, ships or aircraft on Cyprus or Gibraltar are covered so hit them and we invoke article 5. Unlike the Falklands, Diego Garcia etc they are North of the Tropic of Cancer and within the defined areas covered by NATO in Article 6 (Mediterranean).
We aren’t alone in this as other countries had or still have overseas sovereign territory or bases covered by NATO such as France. Before independence Algeria was covered and St Pierre and Miquelon still are, but French Guiana isn’t as it’s south of the Tropic.
Bottom line is they would be insane to hit us or our territories.
US assets at Akrotiri as well.
Yep and a presence up the hill 😉 Akrotiri is an easy target but the consequences would be cataclysmic for Iran.
Thing is though, notwithstanding what you’ve posted, if the UK gets involved in defending Israel against Iran, then it is likely that the Kipion frigate in the gulf becomes a handy target. Assuming the treasury bean counters have allowed the RN a full load out of Sea Ceptor on the ship, once the initial drone and missile swarm against her have been dealt with, she’s pretty much undefended apart from her Phalanx and 30mm guns. Another swarm attack and she’s in trouble. That’s not to criticise the ship’s company, but a criticism of the lack of depth with our escorts we put into war zones.
It wouldn’t be a big stretch of the imagination to think that if things do get a bit toasty in the Gulf region HMS Lancaster could either (a) be temporarily withdrawn to a place where the threat would be lesser,or (b) she could join up with CSG25 for mass and effect.
Certainly, the only thing with that scenario is that with the T23 and other warships out of the way, it will allow the IRGC to cause havoc with commercial shipping, seizing them for ransom etc.
HMG living on a pray Akrotiri doesn’t get hit , let’s hope there right however after all the recent trouble in the area they had plenty of time to put some type of GBAD on the island 🙄 For our Typhoon SQNs getting stretch even more keep an eye on the European sky’s .This government have to stop pushing defence spending and plans back .
They,ve zero interest in defence only wprds and words.
I hope UK does not get involved enough white Christians have dies in jew wars. No more they start them they fight them.