British destroyer HMS Dragon arrives in eastern Mediterranean

HMS Dragon has arrived in the Eastern Mediterranean, three weeks after an Iranian-made drone hit the British base of RAF Akrotiri, the defence secretary has said.The Type 45 destroyer will begin “operational integration into Cyprus’s defence” from Monday night, John Healey told MPs.The British government has faced criticism for the slowness to deploy a warship to the region, after moves by Greece and France to send extra naval support to Cyprus after the attack.The Cypriot government has also expressed concern that the drone was able to hit the base, suggesting that the presence of the British base on the island should now be reviewed.The vessel had been undergoing a six-week refit in Portsmouth but was made seaworthy in six days, with crews working 22-hour days. Opposition parties said the UK government should have anticipated the US-Israeli conflict with Iran and how Tehran would retaliate, and moved assets closer to the region in advance.Healey also confirmed reports over the weekend that Iran had attempted to launch two strikes on the joint UK-US base on Diego Garcia in the Chagos Islands.“There is no assessment that we are being targeted in the UK in that way. We have the resources, we have the alliances in place in order to keep the United Kingdom safe from any kind of attacks,” he said.Healey said there were now an extra 500 air defence personnel in Cyprus. “As more military capabilities are committed to the Eastern Mediterranean, we’re working closely with the Republic of Cyprus to coordinate the contribution of allies, including the US, France and Greece, to reinforce the security of Cyprus,” he said.“RAF and navy pilots have now racked up nearly 900 flying hours in defence of Cyprus, Jordan, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. We have more jets in the region than at any time in the last 15 years.”HMS Dragon has a Sea Viper missile system, which intercepts drones and missiles, which the Ministry of Defence said would “play a vital role in safeguarding UK assets and interests in the Middle East”.Healey confirmed that the prime minister had authorised the use of UK bases for the US military to launch defensive strikes against specific Iranian targets, including their missile sites and capabilities that threatened the Strait of Hormuz.The strait, which is a major route for global energy shipping, has been near impassable in recent weeks with vital energy infrastructure damage.Healey said Iran was “holding the Strait of Hormuz hostage by laying mines, targeting ships, including Red Ensign vessels, and putting lives in danger” and said the UK was deploying military planners into US Central Command to develop options to reopen the strait.“We are determined that the UK plays a leading role in securing the strait so commercial ships can move freely and confidently again,” he said.