On Saturday, June 14, Iran warned Great Britain, the USA and France that their military bases and ships in the Middle East would become potential targets if they support Israel in striking in Iranian territory.
This was reported by the Iranian state media, which refers to the Reuters news agency. These messages were soon widespread by the world media.
Against the backdrop of an exacerbation of the situation, Great Britain resolutely refuted its involvement in any strokes of Israel on Iran. A country with two sovereign military bases in Cyprus - in acrotiri and owits, emphasized that it did not participate in military operations.
“Let me declare clearly and unequivocally: the statements that the British bases in Cyprus were involved in strikes is complete nonsense. At such moments, it is extremely irresponsible to spread misinformation, ”the constant representative of Great Britain at the UN Barbara Woodword emphasized on Saturday.
The position of London was also voiced through the press secretary of Prime Minister Kira Starmer, who in the commentary of The Guardian said: "The UK did not participate in the night strokes of Israel." Moreover, the representative clarified that the Royal Air Force of Great Britain (RAF) “did not participate in operations to destroy Iranian drones” used in the counterattack of Tehran.
The British bases in Cyprus published their own statement, where they noted that they “monitor the situation in connection with messages about Israel’s night blows” and emphasized that "British forces, including bases on the island, did not participate in these actions."
Despite this, the British Foreign Ministry updated its recommendations on Friday for citizens in Cyprus, warning about a possible escalation:
“The ongoing military operations in the region, including the confrontation between Israel and Iran, can suddenly worsen and pose a potential threat to security for the entire eastern Mediterranean,” the report said.
The agency recommended that citizens “carefully monitor the development of the situation through local and international media”, observe caution and follow the instructions of local authorities. Separately emphasizes that "there is a high threat of terrorist attacks aimed at the interests of Great Britain and its citizens around the world, including Cyprus." Although in recent years, terrorist incidents have not been recorded on the island, the authorities do not exclude such an opportunity.
Last year, Cyprus was seen as a possible launching pad for Israeli military support during a massive missile shelling from Iran. Then the British Ministry of Defense confirmed the participation of two Typhoon fighters and Voyager-Vojager aircraft in an operation aimed at containing further escalation. Although, as stated, they did not open fire, their mission played an important role in ensuring the safety of Israel.
These actions reflected the position of the Minister of Defense of Great Britain John Hilia, who was at that time in Cyprus. He expressed gratitude to the British military personnel for “courage and professionalism” and confirmed that the UK “fully supports Israel’s right to protect its citizens”.
According to the British media, RAF fighters were involved in strengthening the Israeli air defense system - similarly to actions during the previous Iranian impact on Israel in April 2024. Then the British Ministry of Defense said that "all air threats within the zone of action of the existing RAF missions will be intercepted if necessary."
In addition, in February 2024, British bases in Cyprus were already used as an operational platform to strike at Yemen as part of a joint operation with the United States. The blows were directed against the positions of the Husites - the Shiite group that controls a significant part of the Western Yemen and is allegedly supported by Iran.
The sovereign bases of Great Britain in Cyprus remain a strategically important element in the Western military presence system in the Middle East. Their location allows you to effectively control the Eastern Mediterranean, the Middle East and North Africa.
Against the background of the intensifying tension around Israel and Iran, the role of Cyprus as a geopolitical node only increases - both in the context of logistics and in the field of information and diplomatic operations.
Source: Cyprus-Mail.com
