UK RAF Typhoons begin defensive sorties for UAE — shoot down 2 Iranian drones over Jordan and Bahrain

British Defence Minister John Healey announced to Parliament that the UK is now conducting 'defensive air sorties in support of the UAE.' RAF Typhoon aircraft successfully took out two Iranian drones — one over Jordan and one that was heading toward Bahrain — as part of these operations. The announcement comes as Britain's response to the conflict had been under criticism, including from US President Trump and the Cypriot government, for being limited to allowing base access rather than active participation. UK military engagement now joins France (CDG carrier group, Cyprus deployments) and Australia as NATO/partner nations actively taking military action in the conflict. Additional US B-52 bombers landed today at RAF Fairford in southwestern England — a key staging base for long-range strikes. Fairford is one of two bases — along with the Diego Garcia facility in the Indian Ocean — that the UK has given the US permission to use for 'specific defensive operations into Iran' to destroy Iranian missiles at source. UK Typhoons are based at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus and have the range to operate across the eastern Mediterranean, Jordan, and Gulf approaches.