Healey visits Cyprus after criticism of UK response to drone attacks
#Healey #Cyprus #drone attacks #UK defence #criticism #security #Middle East
📌 Key Takeaways
- UK Defence Secretary John Healey visited Cyprus to address concerns over drone attacks.
- The visit followed criticism of the UK's handling of recent drone incidents in the region.
- Healey's trip aimed to reassure allies and assess security measures on the island.
- Cyprus serves as a strategic base for UK military operations in the Middle East.
📖 Full Retelling
The Cypriot government has criticised how the UK has handled information sharing after drone attacks.
🏷️ Themes
International Relations, Military Security
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Original Source
Healey visits Cyprus after criticism of UK response to drone attacks 3 hours ago Share Save Cachella Smith Share Save Defence Secretary John Healey has met his counterpart in Cyprus after criticism over the UK's response to drone attacks on the RAF base on the island. Healey met Vasilis Palmas to discuss how UK was reinforcing air defences to support "our shared security," the PM's spokesman said. Cyprus's High Commissioner to the UK Dr Kyriacos Kouros told the BBC people had been "disappointed" with the information shared after the base was hit on Sunday night. Downing Street rejected suggestions the government failed to have enough military assets in the Middle East after the base was hit. The attacks on Cyprus came days after the US-Israel strikes on Iran on Saturday and retaliatory strikes by Iran. Sir Keir Starmer told reporters on Thursday protective measures at the airbase have always been in place. "We pre-deployed further assets to Cyprus in January and February for that purpose and we're bolstering that," he said. "I want to be really clear to everybody in Cyprus that we are taking every measure that is needed to protect them, to protect the airbase along with the other places in the region." The British warship HMS Dragon - which has air defence capabilities - is being sent to Cyprus but will not sail until next week. Asked on Thursday if the UK was not fully prepared with the ship not yet in the Mediterranean, the prime minister's spokesman said: "I don't accept that. I think the fact is, operational questions, operational decision-making is always kept under review." The spokesman was asked about reports that the decision to send reinforcements to the region came weeks after the first US request to use UK bases for strikes against Iran. "I think we set out yesterday that our defensive capabilities have been deployed since January," he said. "That includes air defence, radar systems and F-35 jets in Cyprus and Typhoons in Qatar." Healey's visit to Cyprus...
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