British military forces have been targeted by drones with ties to Iran, according to defense officials. The Erbil air base in northern Iraq was struck by a group of drones on Wednesday night. Defense authorities confirmed that an unspecified number of drones, suspected to originate from Iran, successfully struck the Erbil base. While no British soldiers were harmed, some American troops at the base sustained minor injuries.
Brigadier Guy Foden, assistant chief of staff for operations at the Permanent Joint Headquarters (PJHQ), reported that both Erbil and Baghdad were hit multiple times with growing coordination. British personnel in Erbil are actively involved in the base’s defense efforts. Foden mentioned that two unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were intercepted, but several others managed to impact the base.
Defense Secretary John Healey suggested that Russian President Vladimir Putin may be indirectly supporting Iran in its conflict with the US and Israel, which began on February 28. During a visit to the UK’s PJHQ at Northwood, Healey expressed his belief that Putin’s influence could be behind some of Iran’s tactics and capabilities.
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