British military forces have been targeted by drones with ties to Iran, according to defense officials. In a recent incident, a group of drones attacked an air base in Erbil, located in northern Iraq, on Wednesday night. Officials confirmed that a number of drones, suspected to have originated from Iran, struck the Erbil base. Fortunately, no British soldiers were harmed, but some American troops at the base sustained minor injuries.
Brigadier Guy Foden, assistant chief of staff for operations at the Permanent Joint Headquarters (PJHQ), reported that both Erbil and Baghdad were targeted multiple times with increasing coordination. He mentioned that personnel in Erbil successfully intercepted two unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) but acknowledged that several drones did manage to hit the camp.
Defense Secretary John Healey suggested a connection between Russian involvement and Iran’s actions in the conflict initiated by the US and Israel on February 28. He expressed his belief that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s influence might be supporting Iran in the ongoing conflict.
Lieutenant General Nick Perry, chief of joint operations (CJO) overseeing UK military activities worldwide, highlighted the observable link between Russia and Iran. He noted a change in Iranian drone tactics, potentially influenced by Russian strategies, particularly in flying drones at lower altitudes for increased effectiveness.
This development follows a recent drone attack, believed to be Iranian-linked and launched from Lebanon or Iraq, on the RAF Akrotiri base in Cyprus. The incident occurred late on Sunday night.
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