What John Healey said about UK aircraft participating in strikes against Iran | The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentIndependentSwipe for next articleIndependent Bulletin homepageDownload our appAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleHelen Corbett, Sophie Wingate, David Lynch, Nina Lloyd, Harry Thompson & Harry TaylorThursday 05 March 2026 21:36 GMTStarmer to send more UK fighter jets to Cyprus as Iran conflict intensifiesDefence Secretary John Healey declined to rule out British aircraft participating in offensive military action against Iran, emphasising that current UK actions remain defensive, legal, and coordinated with allies.Britain is deploying anti-drone helicopters, a Type 45 warship (HMS Dragon), and over 400 additional air defence personnel to Cyprus following drone attacks on the RAF Akrotiri base.The government has faced criticism for its perceived slow response and insufficient military assets in the Middle East, with Cyprus's high commissioner highlighting expectations for British military defence.Donald Trump criticised the UK's decision not to join initial strikes, describing it as 'very disappointing' and questioning Sir Keir Starmer's support for the US.Sir Keir Starmer defended the UK-US special relationship and clarified the timeline of discussions regarding US requests for military action, stating no concrete decision was made before Saturday afternoon.In fullJohn Healey declines to rule out UK aircraft taking part in Iran strikesThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in