Defence Secretary John Healey has assured the House of Commons that the United Kingdom possesses the necessary defence systems and alliances to protect against any potential attacks, following concerns over the threat posed by Iranian long-range missiles. Healey's statement came after Israel's military warned that Iran's intermediate-range ballistic missiles could potentially reach London, Paris, or Berlin.
The alert was triggered by Iran's recent firing of two missiles at the UK-US military base of Diego Garcia in the Chagos Islands on Friday. Healey confirmed to MPs that the missiles fell well short of their target, with one coming down and another being intercepted. He declined to disclose specific assessments of Iran's missile capabilities, citing operational security.
Liberal Democrat MP Al Pinkerton pressed Healey on the effective strike range of Iran's missiles and whether the UK remains at risk. Healey reiterated that there is no assessment suggesting the UK is being directly targeted and emphasised the country's layered defence involving the Navy, RAF, and Army, alongside Nato allies.
However, some military experts have raised concerns about potential vulnerabilities. Professor Michael Clarke, former director general of the Royal United Services Institute, noted that the UK's primary defence against ballistic missiles relies on the Sea Viper systems aboard Royal Navy Type 45 destroyers, of which only one is currently operational in the eastern Mediterranean. Nato's Ballistic Missile Defence system, including sites in Poland and Romania and US Navy destroyers, provides additional protection.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer told the Liaison Committee that Britain must prepare for the Iran conflict to continue for some time, while emphasising the need for swift de-escalation. He welcomed reports of talks between the US and Iran but acknowledged the difficulty in predicting the conflict's duration.
