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UK military presence strengthens in the Middle East
The United Kingdom is reinforcing its military presence in the Middle East with a deployment of fighter jets, refueling aircraft, and naval vessels. The move, described as “contingency support,” includes the relocation of Eurofighter Typhoon jets and additional refueling planes from UK bases.
Royal Air Force (RAF) fighter jets are already active in the region as part of Operation Shader, the UK’s mission against the Islamic State group. In April 2024, RAF Typhoons intercepted drones launched by Iran targeting Israel. The current government has avoided commenting on whether the UK will engage directly in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran.
The RAF jets are expected to operate mainly from RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, the UK’s largest airbase in the area, and other bases including Dhekelia (Cyprus), Al Udeid (Qatar), Al Minhad (UAE), and Al Musannah (Oman). These bases support a variety of operations, including transport, refueling, and reconnaissance.
On the naval front, the Royal Navy maintains a significant presence in the Gulf through its support facility in Bahrain, where a Type-23 frigate, mine countermeasure vessels, and auxiliary ships are stationed. Since 2018, the navy also uses a logistics base at the port of Duqm in Oman.
The British Army deploys two infantry battalions permanently on Cyprus, with over 2,200 personnel stationed there as of April 2024. Additionally, UK forces assist in training Iraqi and Kurdish security units to combat the Islamic State, with around 200 personnel deployed in Iraq early this year.
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