Tuesday, March, 24 2026 - The HMS Dragon has arrived in the eastern Mediterranean and is set to begin operations supporting Cyprus, UK Defence Secretary John Healey has confirmed.
The deployment comes three weeks after an Iranian drone
struck RAF Akrotiri, raising concerns about regional security and the UK’s
preparedness. Addressing MPs, Healey said: “I can confirm that HMS Dragon has
arrived in the eastern Mediterranean, and tonight begins operational
integration into Cyprus’s defence alongside allies.”
The warship departed Portsmouth on March 10 following a
rapid six-day refit, significantly faster than the usual six-week process, as
tensions in the Middle East escalated. During its transit, allied naval forces
from France, Greece and Italy helped provide protection for Cyprus, amid
criticism that the UK had initially been slow to respond.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer rejected claims that the island
had been left exposed, highlighting existing military capabilities. “We’ve got
a lot of defensive capability in Cyprus, including the air capability there,”
he said.
He added: “I’ve been constantly talking to the Cypriots
about this… our two military teams are working as closely as they have ever
worked now, and we are absolutely determined to do everything we need to do to
defend Cyprus.”
Downing Street confirmed Starmer also spoke with Nikos
Christodoulides, reiterating that RAF Akrotiri would not be used as part of
broader UK arrangements allowing the US to operate from British bases for
regional defence.
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