LONDON / Nicosia- British Defence Secretary John Healey has revealed that two Iranian missiles were fired in the direction of Cyprus, where thousands of British military personnel are based, as part of a wider series of retaliatory strikes by Tehran.
Healey told Sky News that it was not yet clear whether the missiles were deliberately aimed at British bases on the island, which host critical military infrastructure, including RAF operations and support facilities.
“We are pretty sure they weren’t targeted at our bases,” Healey said, adding that the strikes highlight how indiscriminate Iran’s retaliation has become following a major escalation in the Middle East.
British Defence Secretary John Healey says two Iranian missiles were fired in the direction of Cyprus, where thousands of British troops are stationed.
British Forces in the Middle East on High Alert
The missiles were reported in the context of broader Iranian retaliation after joint U.S.–Israeli strikes on Iranian territory, including operations that reportedly killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, although Tehran’s statements on that remain a subject of ongoing reporting.
Healey also noted that around 300 British military personnel were stationed near locations targeted in Bahrain, where Iranian missiles and drones landed within a few hundred yards of troops.
The defence secretary stressed that the UK is focused on monitoring the situation closely and taking “all necessary measures” to protect British personnel and assets in the region, particularly in Cyprus and Bahrain, both strategic locations for British and allied operations.
Officials made clear that Britain was not involved in the U.S.‑Israeli operation that preceded these retaliatory strikes, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer convening emergency response meetings as part of the UK’s defensive posture.
The UK Ministry of Defence said forces in Cyprus and elsewhere are operating under heightened alert and that efforts are underway to ensure the safety of British troops and monitor any further threats arising from the volatile situation across the Middle East.
My statement on Iran.
