British military forces faced an assault from drones with ties to Iran, according to defense authorities. A group of drones targeted an air base utilized by Western troops in Erbil, located in northern Iraq, on Wednesday evening. Although a UK anti-drone team successfully downed two drones, others struck the coalition base in Kurdistan’s capital. While no British personnel sustained injuries, some American soldiers suffered minor wounds, as confirmed by UK officials.
During a briefing at the UK’s military headquarters in north-west London, British officers informed Defense Secretary John Healey that Iranian forces appeared to be emulating tactics “derived from the Russians.” They mentioned that an undisclosed number of drones, suspected to have been launched from Iran, impacted the Erbil camp.
Brigadier Guy Foden, the assistant chief of staff for operations at the Permanent Joint Headquarters, stated, “Erbil and Baghdad were both targeted multiple times last night with increasing coordination.” He added that personnel in Erbil were actively involved in defending the base, managing to intercept two UAVs approaching the camp. However, several UAVs did manage to hit the camp.
Lieutenant General Nick Perry, chief of joint operations, discussed with Mr. Healey the likelihood of Russia offering tactical guidance to Iran and its affiliates. He highlighted the shift in Iranian drone tactics, influenced by the Russians, which proved to be more effective in combat situations. Mr. Healey suggested that Putin’s support is likely aiding Iran in the conflict initiated by the US and Israel on February 28.
The defense secretary attributed part of this support to the significant rise in global oil prices, benefiting Putin due to increased funding for the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. He expressed that the Russian president would likely view this conflict favorably compared to others.
This development follows a recent drone attack linked to Iran on RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, believed to have been orchestrated by the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah from Lebanon. Cypriot officials successfully intercepted two drones heading towards the base. Iran has deployed over 2,000 Shahed drones across the Middle East in response to continuous strikes by the US and Israel.
