The UK’s RAF Akrotiri base in Cyprus has been hit by a drone strike, causing limited damage and no casualties, Cypriot authorities and the Ministry of Defence (MoD) have said.
That base is sovereign UK territory. So, legally, they’ve attacked the UK. If you really stretch it doesn’t that mean we can call on Nato to beat up Iran? Certainly, it’s now – legally, all that international law stuff – OK for us to respond, no?
The UK security services say that the IGRC has made numerous attempts to attack people on British soil. We have long-standing justification for attacking Iran.
Starmer’s refusal to ban the IRGC, something that even the appeasing wankers of Europe have done, is simply traitorous.
Respond with what exactly?
A strongly worded letter?
I’m sure Sir Keir Wanker can find an island to give them.
Two corporals and a bike?
Lots and lots of nukes???
I suppose giving away the SBAs is the most likely response…
…to the Turks.
HR Karens?
Ted, that’s got to be a breach of the Geneva Conventions!
Well OTOH, given the Murkan propensity for friendly fire, we’re as well keeping our few remaining fighters out of it.
(The Murkans just shot down 3 of their own for some reason possibly because there were no allies in the area)
I guess that shows that, when they do it to us, it isn’t personal.
The official story is that it was Kuwaiti forces that shot down the US F-15s.
How fortunate our PM is also a distinguished International Lawyer. I expect immediate stern action.
Well he’s a lawyer at least. Somewhat to the embarrassment (and, trust me, we don’t embarrass easily) of the rest of us.
He will redeem all on the imminent announcement of Operation H|esitant Weasel. Only an announcement as is Labour tradition. If it is accompanied by a two-hour speech, that will teach our enemies to behave.
And what was all that shit over the weekend about Cyprus “not being the target” for those drones heading towards it? “Oh, sorry, squire, we set them off in the wrong direction.”
I’m confused.
I someone attacked a member of NATO then NATO responds. Yet, if a member of NATO attacks someone then that is seen as an individual action by that nation.
So any retaliation, even against the initial aggressor, is seen as an attack on the whole of NATO so we should now all join in.
Is retatiation in self-defence defined as an attack in the NATO Treaty?
They’ve got to get their pretaliation in first.
Pafos Airport evacuated and Air Raid Sirens at Akrotiri at the moment…
Legally we can get involved, yes. Should we get drawn into this? Some caution, I think.
The UK can call on NATO but they are not obligated to support the UK:
Article 5 is one of Nato’s core principles. It says that an armed attack against one or more members will be considered an attack against all.
In response, each other member would take “such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area”.
The guarantee does not cover bases in foreign countries or territories outside the alliance area – which is why it did not apply during the Vietnam War or the Falkland Islands conflict. (al Beebra)
Tho doesn’t matter as the Euros are keen to bomb Tehran anyway.
Article 5 is also not the automated”press this button and Uncle Sam destroys your enemy” feature it’s portrayed in the Daily Mail. Breathlessly reported headlines like “Will Poland declare Article 5? And How Much Will Your House Price Go Up By When You Die Of Radiation Sickness?” (No and zero) in response to the Rooskies allegedly annoying a Polish airport with drones. “Such actions as it deems necessary” includes nothing. But bits of paper don’t fight wars, men do.
Hitting Akrotiri with a drone doesn’t sound like much of a response. And college students stuck in Dubai. Looks like Iran was a paper tiger. Uncoordinated “fire everything you have . . . at something.”
Details of strikes on Iran are not being published here in US. “Iran hit hard,” but nothing on what was hit hard. 3rd day now, and still no details.
The first drone to hit Akrotiri landed an hour after Starmer announced UK support of defensive measures. That’s considerably less than the transit time of a Shahed to Cyprus from Iran. Shaheds are not fast. So some insane bearded cunt set it off well before Starmer shit his pants.
And this will be the story of the rest of the conflict. Hiroo Onoda syndrome.
Well, clearly, Khamenei was hit hard enough, as was the top layer of government. Brits are not being told details about the rest, either.
A friend sent me this link:
https://understandingwar.org/research/middle-east/iran-update-morning-special-report-march-2-2026/
Some details. Long, haven’t finished reading. Overall attack strategy coming into focus.
NATO ArtV is something people throw about like a mad woman’s shit, but seemingly don’t understand.
If a member country is attacked they can ask the NAC to consider ArtV.
If there is unanimity, the NAC can declare ArtV. (‘If’ is doing some bloody heavy lifting there.)
An ArtV response can be anything from an expression of concern to nuclear war. There is absolutely no automaticity that it means warfighting.
If ArtV is declared, member nations are under no obligation to participate, or even facilitate.
Vis-a-vis the current situation it’s immediately apparent the potential for consensus amongst the member nations is zero; the absence of ‘North Atlantic’ in the operational theatre being at least a minor factor.
Can someone explain to me how a drone that trundles along in a straight line at a pace slower than a Gloster Gladiator is such a threat in this day and age?
Low radar signature; lots of them; tend to cost more to shoot down than they cost to make.
Yes, if you’re trying to shoot them down with missiles in some sort of highly complex (and expensive) Iron Dome defence system. Why can’t a plane just come up behind it and blast it out of the sky? Cost: some fuel and ammunition? Surely a standing CAP could intercept these things hundreds of miles from the intended targets? And aren’t modern gun based anti-aircraft systems able to hit something travelling at 200mph in a straight line?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfRTuBONZTk
The Ukrainians are doing just this. F-16s with Vulcans, helicopters and AN-28 transport planes with miniguns, to Yak-52s (basically Chipmunks) with shotguns out the open canopy. Along with FPV-drone drone hunters, they’re taking out Shaheds and equivalents in enormous numbers.
But as Norman points out, they come in enormous+ numbers and you have to be able find them. Ground guns are also used to good effect but the same issues apply.
Jet versions of the Shaheds are causing big trouble. Starlink equipped types were too (made them into FPVs instead of clever V1s) but that has been stopped by Elon.
Whilst that sounds fun, if you’re killing a drone with a shotgun, aren’t you rather close to the exploding payload?
Yes, that’s why they aim for the engine and are rather brave.
Did you see the Iraqis messing with the caput US LUCAS (Shahed equivalent) in the desert? If that thing had gone off if would have ruined the video. I wonder if the Yanks, realising it was going down, disarmed the warhead.
The next time you pass something on the M4 doing 80mph, whilst you are doing 900mph, come back and tell us how easy it was to spot and shoot at.
Supermarine Spitfire would be perfect . . . now that they aren’t tipping V1s anymore.