Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy has declared that British strikes on Iranian missile launch sites would be entirely legal, fuelling speculation that the RAF could be about to step up its involvement in the Middle East conflict — but his remarks were overshadowed by an embarrassing factual error in which he wrongly described Cyprus as a NATO member.
Speaking on BBC Breakfast, Lammy said: “It is entirely legal to protect our people and protect our staff, and therefore all operational capability is available to us in those circumstances.” When asked directly whether the UK could strike an Iranian base in anticipation of it launching an attack, he said: “It is my understanding that that would be legal.” He also confirmed Britain possesses the satellite and intelligence capability to identify Iranian sites.
The comments came after Defence Secretary John Healey separately declined to rule out direct attacks on Iran, saying the government was willing to “adapt” to circumstances as the situation developed — remarks widely interpreted as leaving the door open to more active British participation in the US-Israeli operation.
However, Lammy’s intervention was complicated when he told Sky News that “Cyprus is a Nato ally,” citing that relationship as a basis for allied coordination in the region. Cyprus is not a member of NATO.
Britain is currently allowing the United States to use its Cyprus base for what the government has described as “defensive” strikes against Iranian missile facilities. However, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has maintained his position of not joining offensive operations, despite public criticism from US President Donald Trump, who described him as “no Churchill.”
The UK’s response has drawn sharp criticism from allies and domestic opponents alike, with RAF Akrotiri having been targeted by Iranian drones while HMS Dragon — the Type 45 air defence destroyer dispatched to bolster the base’s protection — is not expected to arrive in the eastern Mediterranean until next week. In the interim, France, Spain and Greece have been providing naval cover in the region.
Asked whether he was embarrassed by the situation, Lammy rejected the suggestion, pointing to F-35 and Typhoon aircraft operating over Jordan and Qatar. “We have F-35s, Typhoons in the sky taking down missiles as we speak,” he said.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch went further than Lammy, saying she would support RAF jets striking Iranian missile launch sites pre-emptively. “You can’t always wait for people to attack you. Sometimes you have to make sure that you get there first to stop their ability to hurt your citizens,” she said, adding that she was concerned the government “looks afraid to do anything.”
HMS Dragon’s arrival in the coming weeks is expected to provide a significant upgrade to British air defence capability in the eastern Mediterranean, though questions over the pace and nature of the UK’s response are likely to continue until that deployment is complete.
