Britain’s Defence Secretary John Healey on Sunday declined to explicitly endorse US and Israel air strikes on Iran, saying it was for Washington to explain the legal basis for its actions.
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The strikes, which Iran’s state media said killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday, have sharply escalated tensions across the Middle East.
Healey stressed that the United Kingdom had played no part in the operation. However, he said Britain shared the long-standing objective of the United States and regional allies that Iran must never acquire a nuclear weapon.
Asked whether the strikes were lawful under international law, Healey responded: “It is for the U.S. to set out the legal basis of the action that it took.”
UK troops and civilians being put at risk by Iran strikes, Healey says https://t.co/KHjXEB3SI0
— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) March 1, 2026
🚨🇬🇧 NEW: Defence Secretary John Healey has provided an update on Britain’s role in the Iran crisis
– Britain will act in a strictly defensive capacity
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— Politics Global (@PolitlcsGlobal) March 1, 2026
Healey warned that Iran’s retaliation was becoming increasingly indiscriminate, alleging that missile and drone attacks had targeted civilian airports and hotels as well as military installations. He described the situation as “serious and deteriorating,” with a rising risk of broader regional instability.
The defence secretary said the UK had strengthened its regional posture and was actively involved in defensive operations. British aircraft operating from bases in Qatar and Cyprus were intercepting drone attacks aimed at allied positions, he said.
Healey also cited reports of two missiles fired in the direction of Cyprus, though he added that London did not believe the island itself was the intended target.
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Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides said Prime Minister Keir Starmer had called him to discuss developments and had “confirmed clearly and unequivocally that Cyprus was not a target.”
British authorities said they remain in close coordination with regional partners as the crisis continues to unfold.