The UK is deploying additional military support to the Gulf, bringing the total number of British troops in the region to 1,000, Defence Secretary John Healey announced on Tuesday. Speaking from Qatar, Healey described the move as a defensive response to an 'expanding threat' from Iran.
The deployment includes more Typhoon jets to Qatar and the Sky Sabre anti-drone and missile system to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Kuwait. Healey said Iranian drones and missiles now threaten universities, steel works and aluminium plants in the Gulf, adding that Iran 'cannot be allowed to hold the strait of Hormuz hostage'.
Healey's announcement came as US President Donald Trump criticised the UK for refusing to participate in offensive operations against Iran. In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said allies must 'start learning how to fight for yourself'. Healey dismissed the remarks, stating: 'We won't get drawn into the wider war. Throughout this conflict, we've been consistently taking decisions in Britain's interests.'
The Ministry of Defence confirmed that the Sky Sabre system, which can intercept munitions and aircraft, will be integrated into Saudi and regional air defences. The RAF's joint Typhoon squadron with Qatar was deployed in January, with four additional jets sent after US and Israeli strikes on Iran prompted retaliatory attacks.
Healey noted that during his tour of the Middle East, discussions with Gulf leaders focused on options to secure safe shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, emphasising that any solution must involve a wide range of nations alongside the US.
