Two British Wildcat helicopters have arrived in Cyprus, bolstering defenses at the RAF Akrotiri base following an Iranian drone attack amid escalating Middle East tensions.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the deployment Thursday, pairing the helicopters — equipped with Martlet missiles to counter drones — with the Type 45 destroyer HMS Dragon, due in coming weeks.
The UK also sent four Typhoon fighter jets to Qatar to support regional security.Ministry of Defence photos showed one Wildcat unloading from a Royal Air Force C-17 Globemaster aircraft on the island.
The move follows Monday's strike on Akrotiri's runway, which caused minimal damage, with two more drones intercepted nearby; families of British personnel were relocated as a precaution.
Britain coordinates with allies including France and Germany to protect Cyprus airspace, covering military and civilian sites against threats from pro-Iranian forces in Lebanon. Starmer, after initial reluctance in the U.S.-Israel-Iran war, approved limited use of British bases for defensive operations.