Illustrative image. (Royal Air Force)
The United Kingdom on February 6 deployed six F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter jets to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, according to flight tracking data.
The fighter jets departed RAF Marham in eastern England and were supported by Voyager aerial refueling tankers from the Royal Air Force during the transit.
The deployment came as the United States, the UK’s closest ally, continues to escalate against Iran. Since last month, President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened the Islamic Republic over a deadly wave of protests and alleged plans to execute prisoners. Recent weeks also saw a massive U.S. military buildup in the Middle East.
RAF Akrotiri serves as the UK’s primary Permanent Joint Operating Base in the eastern Mediterranean, often described as an “immovable aircraft carrier” for projecting air power into the Middle East without relying on naval carriers.
“We regularly review the capability and force protection of our overseas bases, including the Sovereign Base Areas. This recent movement of additional capabilities is part of our ongoing work to support security and stability in the Middle East,” a Ministry of Defence spokesperson told the UK Defence Journal when asked about the recent deployment of the F-35s.
At RAF Akrotiri, the fighter jets — all from the F-35B variant capable of taking off and landing vertically — joined at least ten Typhoon fighter jets, which were already deployed there.
This was the second time the UK has deployed fighter jets to the Middle East since the start of the escalation between the U.S. and Iran.
Last month, a squadron of Typhoon fighter jets was deployed at Al Udeid Air Base, which hosts U.S. troops, near the Qatari capital, Doha. The Defence Ministry said at the time that the deployment was carried out to “bolster defensive capability in the region” at the invitation of the Qatari government.
The UK boosted its military presence in the Middle East ahead of the Israeli 12-day war on Iran last June, which saw the U.S. attacking nuclear facilities in the Islamic Republic.
British fighter jets were deployed in the region at the time. However, it is still unclear if they took part in military operations, specifically in intercepting Iranian suicide drones and cruise missiles launched at Israel.
While the UK insists that its recent deployments are of a defensive nature, the F-35 is a capable offensive fighter jet, especially when it comes to suppression of enemy air defenses operations. The Typhoon can also launch stand-off strikes with the Franco-British Storm Shadow land-attack cruise missiles.
One the same day the British F-35s were deployed to RAF Akrotiri, the U.S. and Iran held indirect talks in Oman. Both sides reported a positive atmosphere. However, similar reports came out amid talks held last June just before Israel launched its attack.
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