Starmer is dragging the UK into another Middle East invasion

UK PM Keir Starmer unilaterally decided to drag the UK into another illegal Middle East war late on 1 March 2026. Just hours after Starmer’s announcement an Iranian Shahed drone hit the UK’s colonial military base in Cyprus.

The US and Israel began an unprovoked attack on Iran on 28 February. This was despite unprecedented progress in negotiations with Iran. They’ve since assassinated Iranian leadership figures including Ayatollah Khameini.

The Red Crescent puts the death toll in Iran at 555. The Israelis also killed 165 with a missile strike on a school. Iran has hit back at Israel and US military infrastructure throughout the Gulf.

The drone reportedly hit the runway in Cyprus:

I understand that damage was minimal and the runway is operating as usual

— Deborah Haynes (@haynesdeborah) March 2, 2026

Military families were initially locked down after the strike. They’ve now been moved off base into alternative accommodation.

Breaking: Family members of service personnel at RAF Akrotiri are being moved from the base to alternative accommodation on the island

— Larisa Brown (@larisamlbrown) March 2, 2026

There were no casualties:

🔴 Suspected drone strike hits RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus

The British Ministry of Defense confirmed a suspected drone strike on RAF Akrotiri, a UK sovereign base in Cyprus, around midnight Monday, March 2.

🔸 No injuries reported.
🔸 “Minor damage” after a reported small drone… https://t.co/5ETB494NZs

— Drop Site (@DropSiteNews) March 2, 2026

British Forces Cyprus posted on X:

pic.twitter.com/YXyZNsyRiW

— BFCyprus (@bfcyprus) March 2, 2026

Keir Starmer’s 1 February update preceded the strikes by hours. The PM’s statement was contradictory. He repeatedly emphasised the UK’s ‘defensive’ role, but also said UK bases would be used by the US to attack Iran:

My update on the situation in the Middle East. pic.twitter.com/DvsOVcTDMy

— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) March 1, 2026

Hours before the speech on 1 February the UK military bragged that it had shot down a drone heading for Qatar:

The professionalism of our RAF is remarkable….good work…keep it going. pic.twitter.com/fuYlp3lAa7

— Al Carns (@AlistairCarns) March 1, 2026

The US military will use the Indian Ocean base at Diego Garcia and the UK’s RAF Fairford:

It took just one phone call from Donald Trump for Starmer to jump into yet another Middle East illegal war, failing to learn the lessons of the tragedies of Iraq, Libya and Syria. https://t.co/IhCUF9XJ3m

— Zack Polanski (@ZackPolanski) March 1, 2026

Fairford is one of many bases in the UK which serve as effective US military colonies in the UK:

Keir Starmer says he has accepted Trump's request to use British bases for bombing Iran

These are the US bases in Britain with troop levels

"RAF" Fairford in Gloucestershire is most likely base to be used by Trump for the continuing attack on Iran https://t.co/oFoSZdRlVx pic.twitter.com/EqH7PKYvlw

— Matt Kennard (@kennardmatt) March 1, 2026

The US also has military personnel at Akrotiri, which has been used a base for the UK’s shadowy intelligence gathering operations on behalf of Israel:

The US Air Force also has a secret detachment of 129 personnel based at RAF Akrotiri on Cyprus pic.twitter.com/qUecPVXNhX

— Matt Kennard (@kennardmatt) March 1, 2026

Starmer is backing Trump’s war

US President Donald Trump has said he wants a form of regime change. Former UK Joint Intelligence Committee chair Lord Rickett’s was unequivocal on 28 February:

None of this.. is in any sense legal in a way that the UK would recognise. There was really no imminent threat to the US.. this is action that they chose to undertake or were dragged into it by the Israelis.

Lord Ricketts (a former chair of the UKs joint intelligence committee): "None of this.. is in any sense legal in a way that the UK would recognise. There was really no imminent threat to the US.. this is action that they chose to undertake or were dragged into it by the Israelis" pic.twitter.com/gMiB8P94l6

— Saul Staniforth (@SaulStaniforth) February 28, 2026

Trump told the US press on 2 March he would like to see a similar outcome to Venezuela. The US bombed Venezuela and kidnapped its president on 2 January:

While Trump has called for regime change in Iran, he makes clear in phone interview with @KannoYoungs that he is fine with remnants of the repressive regime remaining in power. "What we did in Venezuela, I think, is the perfect, the perfect scenario." https://t.co/efhjP1eZ92

— Peter Baker (@peterbakernyt) March 2, 2026

Keir Starmer has now committed UK forces to this operation. Many people have pointed out on Twitter that Starmer, like Trump himself, claimed to be a peace candidate once upon a time.

A tweet from 2020 has been getting a lot of attention. Starmer clearly positioned himself as an anti-war candidate:

No more illegal wars. Introduce a Prevention of Military Intervention Act and put human rights at the heart of foreign policy. Review all UK arms sales and make us a force for international peace and justice.

No more illegal wars. Introduce a Prevention of Military Intervention Act and put human rights at the heart of foreign policy. Review all UK arms sales and make us a force for international peace and justice. pic.twitter.com/EJ4BKCZB2g

— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) February 12, 2020

Like so many of Starmer’s pledges, this commitment fell away as soon as he was elected leader of the Labour Party. As PM Starmer has backed and defended Israel’s genocide in Gaza. He has also consistently toadied to Donald Trump.

Now he has committed the UK to a war in the Middle East. Starmer was already having a tough week domestically, losing a key by-election to the Green Party. He is profoundly unpopular, too weak to resist Trump’s overtures and under pressure from both the left and the far-right. UK involvement in yet another spiraling Middle East war might be the straw that breaks that camel’s back. And the first British casualty will confirm it.

Featured image via the Canary