Britain’s Defence Secretary John Healey, centre, with navy personnel throughout a go to to the Everlasting Joint Headquarters in Northwood, London, on March 12, 2026.
| Photograph Credit score: AP
U.Ok. Defence Minister John Healey recommended on Thursday (March 12, 2026) that Russia was influencing Iran’s use of drone assaults in its conflict with america and Israel.
Mr. Healey stated Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “hidden hand” could also be behind among the techniques deployed by Tehran within the battle in West Asia, which began when america and Israel struck Iran on February 28.
Additionally learn: West Asia conflict updates on March 13, 2026
He instructed reporters that officers had been analysing an Iranian-made drone that hit the U.Ok.’s Akrotiri air pressure base in Cyprus on March 1 “for any proof of Russian or every other overseas elements and elements”.
“We’ll replace you and appropriately publish any findings from that after we’ve bought them,” he stated throughout a go to to Britain’s navy headquarters in Northwood, close to London.
“However I feel nobody will probably be stunned to imagine that Putin’s hidden hand is behind among the Iranian techniques, doubtlessly a few of their capabilities as properly, not least as a result of one world chief that’s benefiting from the sky-high oil costs for the time being is Putin,” he added.
Russia is a detailed ally of Iran, with the 2 agreeing final yr to assist one another counter “frequent threats”.
U.S. President Donald Trump stated Saturday (March 7, 2026) he had no indication Russia was supporting Iran within the conflict, however that in the event that they had been, it was not “serving to a lot”.
Nick Perry, the British navy’s chief of joint operations, instructed Healey there have been “definitively” indicators of a hyperlink between Russia and Iran, together with Iran’s use of drones “as discovered from the Russians”.
Nobody was injured when the drone hit a hangar at Akrotiri. British warplanes shot down an additional two drones heading for the bottom the identical day.
Man Foden, a brigadier within the British Military, briefed Mr. Healey that U.Ok. troops based mostly at a navy base housing worldwide coalition troops in Erbil, Iraq, had helped shoot down two Iranian drones on Wednesday (March 11, 2026).
Printed – March 13, 2026 09:55 pm IST