"It's a reminder of the increasingly indiscriminate threat that Iran poses as we've seen from their first retaliatory strikes. Countries that are not involved in the conflict, civilian as well as military targets. It's why we're stepping up now. Each time the all-clear has come quickly: the missile has gone up, but military intelligence quickly establishes the trajectory is not towards Cyprus."
"The base is usually a hive of activity with 4,000 people, military personnel but also teachers, chefs, civilian personnel and families. In one of the rooms on the base where journalists gather to wait for Healey's arrival, there are huge sheets of paper scrawled with children's drawings, where families on the base had waited to be evacuated after a drone evaded the base's defence systems on Sunday night."
RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus experienced multiple ballistic missile alerts from Iran, forcing personnel to take defensive positions and prompting civilian evacuations. Defence Secretary John Healey visited the base during these alerts, acknowledging Iran's indiscriminate threat to military and civilian targets. The base, housing 4,000 personnel including military staff, teachers, and families, has become a focal point of regional tension. Military intelligence quickly determined missiles were not targeting the base, but repeated alerts have terrified local populations and exposed inadequate preparedness for potential Iranian retaliation. The incident highlights how British forces stationed abroad face direct exposure to escalating Middle Eastern conflicts.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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