An SAS base was hit by a drone strike, injuring US soldiers, as it was feared Vladimir Putin could be giving Iranian’s a helping hand with their tactics.
A swarm of Iranian drones struck a joint Special Forces base in the Kurdistan regional capital Erbil on Wednesday night.
Brigadier Guy Foden, a commander at Britain’s Permanent Joint Headquarters, revealed: ‘We have personnel in Erbil who are currently helping with the defence of that base.
‘Last night they shot down two UAVs coming at the camp, but a number of UAVs did impact on the camp.’
American soldiers were injured in the attack but the British suffered no casualties, according to The Sun.
Lt Gen Nick Perry, the commander of UK global operations, confirmed the US casualties were not life-threatening.
He told Defence Secretary John Healey at a briefing: ‘All our people remain safe, touch wood, but the Americans took some casualties last night, but nothing too serious.’
It comes as the defence secretary said Vladimir Putin’s ‘hidden hands’ may be behind some of Iran’s tactics in the Middle East.
John Healey visited the Northwood military headquarters in Hertfordshire on Thursday, where he was briefed on the latest updates on British operations in the region.
The UK’s chief of joint operations, Lieutenant General Nick Perry, told the defence secretary there were ‘definitively’ signs of a link between Russia and Iran, including Iran’s use of drones ‘as learned from the Russians’.
Asked later by reporters for examples of such links, Mr Healey said: ‘At the moment, we’re taking part in analysing the drone that struck the hangar at Akrotiri for any evidence of Russian or any other foreign components and parts.
‘We will update you and appropriately publish any findings from that when we’ve got them, but I think no one will be surprised to believe that Putin’s hidden hand is behind some of the Iranian tactics, potentially some of their capabilities as well, not least because one world leader that is benefiting from the sky high oil prices at the moment is Putin.
‘It helps him with a fresh supply of funds for his brutal war in Ukraine.’
Brigadier Guy Foden said on Wednesday night that the UK had flown air combat patrols over Jordan and the United Arab Emirates, along with a ‘number of sorties’ over Qatar.
RAF jets have also continued to fly in defence of Cyprus with European allies in the region.
There have been ‘no British casualties’, while the US had sustained ‘some’ casualties overnight but ‘nothing too serious’, Lieutenant General Perry said.
Following the US-Israeli strikes, Iran has warned vessels not to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, leading to the price of heating oil doubling in the past week.
Asked whether the UK would be prepared to participate in a patrol of the straits, Mr Healey said: ‘So firstly, these are early days.
‘The reports of Iran mining the Straits is becoming established. The evidence and number of commercial ships being attacked is becoming established.
‘The two things that I think are most significant are, first, that recognising the huge impact that this potentially has on oil prices and on people’s cost of living around the world.
‘There is an international imperative and incentive to try and see this resolved.
‘Big steps like the record release of reserve oil helps, but doesn’t solve the problem.’
This is a breaking news story… More to follow…