UK Deputy PM: Legal Basis for RAF Strikes on Iranian Bases

UK Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary David Lidington has stated that there is a legal basis for RAF strikes from Akrotiri in Limassol, against Iranian missile installations, should they be used to attack British interests in the Middle East.

Speaking on BBC Breakfast, Lidington mentioned that RAF F-35 and Typhoon fighters are already operating in the region, shooting down missiles and drones launched by Iran against British allies. He clarified that operations are currently limited to defensive missions.

Britain has already granted the United States permission to use British military bases for defensive strikes against Iranian missile installations. The air defense destroyer HMS Dragon is expected to be deployed to the Eastern Mediterranean.

Efforts to repatriate British citizens from the conflict zone continue, with the first repatriation flight arriving from Oman. More than 140,000 British citizens in the region have registered their presence with the Foreign Office.