Sir Keir Starmer is reportedly considering deploying the warship HMS Duncan to the Middle East following an Iranian drone attack on a UK base in Cyprus.
Britain is assessing whether to send the Type 45 air defence destroyer to the region after it recently completed exercises focused on countering drone threats.
The move comes amid concerns over the lack of air defence in the area, as Iran has threatened to unleash the “gates of hell” on the US and Israel following retaliatory attacks on Tehran last Saturday.
Based at Portsmouth Naval Base, HMS Duncan is one of the world’s most advanced warships. It previously deployed to the Middle East in 2019 during heightened tensions with Iran and made headlines last year for tracking the Russian vessel Vice Admiral Kulakov through the English Channel.
The Cyprus base came under attack by an Iranian drone on Sunday, which reportedly approached within 800 yards of UK personnel stationed on the island, according to The Times.
Defence Secretary John Healey has been consulting officials over the past 24 hours on whether to send a warship—likely HMS Duncan—to reinforce regional security.
However, the delay has sparked criticism that Starmer is hesitating in the face of Iranian aggression.
Tory Shadow Defence Secretary James Cartlidge urged immediate action on social media:
“HMS Duncan must go & go now, we need the highly capable air defence it provides to protect RAF Akrotiri,” he said adding it begs the question: why wasn’t she already there?”
Similarly, Andrew Bowie, MP for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine, said “‘Considering’…?! It’s day four of this incident and Ministers are ‘considering’.
