Starmer Warns ‘We All Remember Iraq’ After Iranian Drone Strikes UK RAF Base In Cyprus

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has affirmed that the United Kingdom will not participate in offensive military action against Iran, emphasizing that the “mistakes of Iraq” have been learned, even as an Iranian drone struck a UK air force base in Cyprus.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Speaking late Sunday, Starmer highlighted that Britain had intentionally stayed out of the initial wave of strikes carried out by the United States and Israel.

“I want to be very clear: we all remember the mistakes of Iraq, and we have learned those lessons,” he said.
“We were not involved in the first strikes on Iran, and we will not join in offensive action now.”

Hours after his statement, a drone reportedly launched by Iran hit the runway of RAF Akrotiri, a key British military installation in Cyprus.

Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides said the attack occurred shortly after midnight.
“A Shahed unmanned aerial vehicle crashed into the military facilities of the British Bases in Akrotiri, causing minor material damage,” he said, specifying that the impact was on the airport runway.

British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper confirmed the location of the strike, stating that the government is assessing the damage and exploring ways to support British nationals in the region.

The base, near the southern city of Limassol, is part of a British overseas territory and serves as a strategic hub for UK operations in the Middle East.

UK Maintains Defensive Stance

Despite the attack, UK officials stressed that Britain is not at war. Middle East Minister Hamish Falconer said the government had deliberately chosen not to take part in the first wave of US-Israeli strikes.

“Let me be clear: the UK made a deliberate decision not to join the initial strikes conducted by the United States and Israel,” he said.
“But given reckless attacks from Iran on allies in the region, we agreed, as the Prime Minister announced, to support the US request to use our bases strictly for defensive purposes.”

Starmer had previously confirmed that UK bases would only be used for a “specific and limited defensive purpose.”

British Nationals in the Gulf

Cooper revealed that around 300,000 British citizens are in Gulf countries now affected by Iranian strikes, with some airspace closures complicating evacuation.
“There are an estimated 300,000 British citizens in Gulf countries targeted by Iran, including areas where airspace is now closed,” she said, urging nationals to register with UK authorities and follow local safety guidance.

Over 100,000 UK nationals have already registered their presence in the Middle East.

Scottish teacher Felicity Flanagan, living in Dubai, described hearing loud explosions on the beach and seeing what she believed was missile shrapnel fall into the water. She said she has since stayed indoors following embassy advice.

Expert Analysis: Different from Iraq

Comparing the situation to the 2003 Iraq war, Rosa Freedman, an international law expert at the University of Reading, said the current conflict is “materially different.”

She noted that tensions stem from broader regional dynamics following the October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel and ongoing concerns about Iran’s nuclear program.
“The Iranian people have long sought to overthrow this regime, with tens of thousands of young people killed in recent weeks. Regime change is essential for both domestic and international stability and security,” she said.

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