UK sends warship to Cyprus as Trump questions transatlantic ties
Shafaq News- London
Prime Minister Keir Starmer ordered a Royal Navy destroyer and anti-drone helicopters to Cyprus on Tuesday, hours after a drone strike caused minor damage at a British air base on the island.
In a statement, Starmer said the air-defense destroyer HMS Dragon would deploy to the region to reinforce security around Britain’s sovereign base areas, including RAF Akrotiri. The Defence Ministry said a drone hit the Akrotiri base on Monday, causing limited material damage and no casualties.
The move comes as Britain navigates a delicate line in the widening confrontation with Iran. Starmer declined to join US-Israeli strikes on Tehran, arguing any British action must have a “viable, thought-through plan” and rejecting what he described as “regime change from the skies.” He later allowed the United States to use UK facilities for what he called limited, defensive strikes after Iran targeted US allies in the region.
Trump, however, said Britain’s hesitation was “very sad,” telling the Sun newspaper that the once “most solid relationship” had weakened. In remarks to the Telegraph, he suggested Starmer had been concerned about the legality of the strikes when considering use of the Diego Garcia base.
