Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer confirmed the UK did not participate in the opening US–Israeli strikes on Iran on Saturday. He said the government’s priority remains de‑escalation and a negotiated outcome on Iran’s nuclear programme, arguing that sustained diplomacy offers the best route to reduce risk.
On basing rights, Starmer said the UK declined a US request for the initial operation but on Sunday authorised the use of British facilities only for defensive action against Iranian missile sites. He described the approach as consistent with efforts to lower tensions while maintaining the capacity to protect UK interests.
President Donald Trump criticised the refusal to release UK bases for the first wave and said Mr Starmer was “not Winston Churchill”. The prime minister rejected the idea that relations had been damaged, saying the special relationship is operating in practice through continuous intelligence sharing.
Starmer chaired a Cobra meeting on Thursday and acknowledged the anxiety of those with family and friends in the region. He said the government would take all reasonable steps to protect British lives and confirmed updated Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office advice for Cyprus stating that the risk of a terrorist attack cannot be ruled out.
Responding to criticism that the UK was unprepared, the prime minister pointed to earlier pre‑positioning with allies. Defence sources said around 400 additional personnel have been deployed in recent weeks to strengthen air defence at British bases in Cyprus, alongside assets moved to Qatar.
Force levels are being increased further. The Ministry of Defence will send four additional Typhoon fighter jets to Qatar. Two Wildcat helicopters with counter‑drone capabilities are due to arrive in Cyprus on Friday, and the Type 45 destroyer HMS Dragon is preparing to sail to the island, with Defence Secretary John Healey indicating arrival within the next couple of weeks.
The reinforcement follows a drone attack on Sunday that struck the runway at RAF Akrotiri; the Ministry of Defence assessed the damage as minimal. Healey said the best current assessment is that the drone was probably launched from Lebanon, while cautioning that the threat picture can change quickly.
During a visit to Cyprus on Thursday, Healey met Defence Minister Vasilis Palmas to discuss reinforcing air defences and operational coordination. He declined to rule out future UK participation in strikes, noting that Britain has more jets in Cyprus than any other nation and will adjust posture to protect UK people, forces and allies as required.
The government’s stance drew criticism from Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, who argued that ending the confrontation swiftly can be the fastest route to de‑escalation and that, after attacks on British facilities in Bahrain and Cyprus at the weekend, the UK was already directly affected.
Public sentiment on the island reflects these pressures. A British resident of 35 years told the BBC she felt Greece and France had responded more quickly after the attacks and urged the UK to “step up”, comments the government has not addressed directly.
Consular support has been expanded. Starmer said the first government‑chartered repatriation flight for UK nationals stranded in the Middle East departed from Oman after a technical delay. Around 4,000 people have already returned, more than 140,000 have registered their presence with the government, and seven flights are scheduled to leave the UAE for the UK on Thursday. British Airways is running daily services from Oman, with further charters to follow to increase capacity.
Regional tensions remain high. Iran has responded to US–Israeli action with strikes on Israel and on states aligned with the US, including Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman and Saudi Arabia. Starmer warned the confrontation may persist for some time and said the UK’s objective is to prevent further escalation while safeguarding citizens and critical facilities.