Iran missiles fired towards UK military bases in Cyprus, defence minister says
The defense minister announced that two missiles from Iran were fired towards Cyprus, where Britain’s military bases are located.
“We’re pretty sure they’re not targeting our bases,” John Healey said.
But he added that Iranian retaliation “shows how indiscriminate it is.”
He also noted that 300 British military personnel were close to targets in Bahrain.
“Some were within a few hundred meters of the missile strikes,” he explained.
The defense secretary was on the morning broadcast tour, a day after Sir Keir Starmer announced the UK had ordered “planes in the sky” over the Middle East for defense operations.
Mr Healey reiterated the prime minister’s call for an end to missile attacks and “stepped back from increasingly uncontrolled, indiscriminate attacks in the region” and “abandoned weapons programmes.”
This came as the United States and Israel launched waves of missile strikes against Iran with preemptive actions that eliminated the military infrastructure and the country’s leadership, including Supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei.
Speaking to Trevor Phillips on Sky News, Mr Healey added: “Very few people will mourn the death of the Ayatollah.”
He is now more concerned about the repercussions of attacks on Iran in the wider region.
He highlighted Iran’s 20 terrorist attacks on the streets of Britain, the deaths of tens of thousands of its own citizens, and the supply of 50,000 drones to Russia to attack Ukraine.
“Rest assured, this is a regime that harasses other countries and will never be allowed to have nuclear weapons.”
Mr. Healey declined to comment on whether U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran were legal.
He told Sky News: “Nobody who sees how Iran threatens us, sponsors terrorism around the world, is a source of instability in the region, develops a nuclear weapons program, can doubt the character of this regime and the threat it poses.”
When asked whether the US’s action was legal, he said: “This is a matter for the US to do and explain. This is not for me, as the UK defense secretary, I am here to speak on behalf of the UK.”
“I can say that we have a very active participation in coordinated defense throughout the region.”
He stated that everything Britain did was in accordance with international law.
But Mr Healey also refused to say whether Britain might be drawn to join the US and Israel in direct operations against Iran.
Describing UK operations, Mr Healey said: “When our UK aircraft fly from Qatar, they provide protection against any missiles or drones aimed at Qatar.
“When they fly from Cyprus, they do the same for Cyprus.
“But of course, when our planes are in the air and they see missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles aimed at other countries, they will shoot them down.
“So this is what I mean when I talk about the UK playing a role in strengthening regional stability as part of coordinated regional defense operations.”
