Epic Fury: How have UK's Armed Forces been involved in Middle East conflict so far?
As Operation Epic Fury – the US and Israel's coordinated strikes across Iran – continues for a fifth day, the UK's military involvement has unsurprisingly increased.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer had previously said British involvement was inevitable because of Iran's retaliation and represented an active commitment to protect UK personnel and their allies – plus a repeated US request for help.
From RAF jets flying defensive missions to deploying a warship, this is how the Armed Forces have been playing their part.
RAF fighter jets
RAF F-35s and Typhoon warplanes have taken to the skies to defend allies in the Middle East against Iranian retaliation.
Defensive operations have been run from Qatar and Cyprus to destroy any incoming drones and missiles.
History was made when an RAF F-35B shot down a drone over Jordanian airspace – the first time the stealth jet had made such a kill on an enemy UAV in an active UK operation.
The jets were supported by RAF Typhoons and a Voyager air-to-air refuelling aircraft.
Royal Navy warship HMS Dragon
HMS Dragon is preparing to leave Portsmouth for the Mediterranean to protect the UK's bases in Cyprus, after RAF Akrotiri was hit by a drone.
The Type 45 air defence destroyer, which is one of six Daring-class vessels, is purpose-built for anti-aircraft and anti-missile warfare.
HMS Dragon is armed with the world-leading Sea Viper missile system and is capable of firing eight in under 10 seconds while guiding up to 16 simultaneously.
Accompanying the warship will be two Wildcat helicopters equipped with so-called "drone-busting" Martlet missiles, designed to counter attacks from up to six kilometres away.
Use of British military bases
The Prime Minister has agreed to a request from the US for British military bases to be used for defensive airstrikes on Iranian missile sites.
The sites used are likely to be RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire and Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.
RAF Fairford, located on the border of Gloucestershire and Wiltshire, has been used by the US in the past to conduct long-range heavy bombing missions.
Soon after Sir Keir announced the US could use UK bases, the runway at RAF Akrotiri was hit by a one-way attack drone, with more subsequent unmanned drones successfully intercepted.
In an address to Parliament on Monday, the Prime Minister said that British bases in Cyprus were not being used by US bombers.
"The use of British bases is limited to the agreed defensive purposes – we are not joining the US and Israeli offensive strikes," he said.
"The basis of our decision is the collective self-defence of longstanding friends and allies and protecting British lives. It is in accordance with international law."
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