UK Not at War, Starmer Says After Iranian Drone Strikes RAF Base in Cyprus

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Britain is not at war following an Iranian drone strike on a Royal Air Force base in Cyprus, hours after confirming the UK would not join the initial US-Israeli strikes on Iran.

An Iranian unmanned aerial vehicle hit the runway at RAF Akrotiri shortly after midnight on Monday, causing minor damage, according to Cypriot authorities. The base, located near Limassol, is part of the UK’s sovereign territory in Cyprus.

Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides said a Shahed drone crashed into the military section of the facility. No casualties were reported.

The strike came after Starmer announced late Sunday that Britain had agreed to a US request to use its bases for what he described as “specific and limited defensive purposes.” He stressed that the UK had made a “deliberate decision” not to participate in the first wave of strikes carried out by the United States and Israel.

“We all remember the mistakes of Iraq. And we have learned those lessons,” Starmer said in a video message, adding that Britain would not join offensive operations against Iran.

Middle East Minister Hamish Falconer reiterated that position on Monday, stating that “the UK is not at war.” He said the government’s decision to allow the use of British bases was taken in response to what he described as reckless Iranian attacks on regional allies.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper confirmed that the drone strike targeted the runway at Akrotiri. She said the government was reviewing options to assist British nationals in the region as tensions escalate.

An estimated 300,000 British citizens are in Gulf countries that have been affected by Iranian strikes, with airspace closures reported in several states. Cooper urged nationals to register with UK authorities and follow guidance from local officials.

More than 100,000 Britons have already registered their presence in the Middle East, according to the government.

The current hostilities follow heightened regional tensions linked to Iran’s nuclear programme and broader instability since October 2023. While the UK has ruled out offensive action, officials indicated that defensive cooperation with the United States will continue.