The British Defence Secretary has revealed that Iran launched two ballistic missiles towards Cyprus following US-Israeli strikes, though the island was not believed to be the intended target.
John Healey told the BBC that the missiles were fired amid “indiscriminate reprisals” by Iran, while British fighter jets carried out defensive operations in the region. These missions were conducted from the UK’s airbase in Cyprus and another base in Qatar.
He emphasised that Cyprus was unlikely to have been the missiles’ target but warned the incident demonstrated the risks faced by UK bases and personnel—both military and civilian—in the area. No additional details regarding the missiles or any attempted interception were provided.
Healey accused Iran of increasingly “indiscriminate, widespread, and uncontrolled” acts of aggression, which he described as indicative of a “really grave and worsening” situation in the Middle East.
Speaking separately to Sky News, Healey warned that the regime’s growing retaliatory strikes posed a “very real and increasing threat” and called for a defensive response to confront the danger.
He confirmed that the UK has bolstered its defensive capabilities in the Middle East alongside the US, including conducting sorties to down drones threatening bases, personnel, or allies.
