Prime Minister Keir Starmer has vowed not to be dragged into the war with Iran, but his government described its new position as essentially defensive.
R.A.F. Fairford was the site of repeated antiwar protests during the Iraq war in 2003. Now it is being used again as a base for U.S. bombing missions in the Middle East.
Allies have rushed to defend the Mediterranean nation, where the drone hit a British base. Some Cypriots wonder why the bases are still there.
Outdated targeting data may have resulted in a mistaken missile strike, according to the ongoing military investigation, which undercuts President Trump’s assertion that Iran could be to blame.
Iran appears to be targeting what it views as American vulnerabilities, including air defenses meant to guard troops and assets in the region.
U.S. strikes have heavily targeted Iran’s large ships and bases, but its Revolutionary Guard navy is a more nimble force.
Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said that Italy would provide “air defense systems, anti-drone and antimissile systems” as Iran widened its retaliatory strikes.
The two nations, as well as Greece, said they would send assets to the region. The Netherlands was weighing a request to join them.
The Pentagon and Middle Eastern countries say that most of the drones have been intercepted. But some have slipped through and caused damage.
The leftist government in Madrid said the war against Iran violated both international law and the agreement between Spain and the United States on the use of air bases.