UK sends jets to Cyprus as fears grow of US attack on Iran

Britain has deployed fighter jets to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus to bolster security after concerns the US could attack Iran and plunge the region into a wider conflict.

Six F-35Bs left RAF Marham on Friday to defend the base and sovereign base territories should the situation in the region become “hot”, as the The Times reported.

The military regularly keeps the base security under review and has made a decision to beef up the number of assets in the country.

The F-35s will join Typhoons already in Cyprus carrying out missions over Iraq and Syria.

They have been deployed in a defensive role, whereas the Typhoons are permanently stationed there as they carry out Operation Shader against the remnants of Islamic State.

Last month four RAF Typhoons from the joint UK-Qatar No 12 Squadron were deployed to Qatar at the request of the Qatari government, citing rising regional tensions.

The move comes as Iran and the US took a small step back from the brink of renewed conflict on Friday after negotiators met during a massive military build-up in the region.

The president  of USA Donald Trump on Friday also signed an executive order that threatens to impose tariffs on any country that “directly or indirectly purchases, imports, or otherwise acquires any goods or services from Iran”.

The order did not specify the rate of tariffs that could be imposed, but used 25 per cent as an example.