The Foreign Office has issued new travel advice for Cyprus as UK terror threat is reviewed following Iranian missile strikes in the region.
The Foreign Office has updated its guidance for British travellers following missile launches directed at UK military installations.
Yesterday saw US-Israeli forces conduct ‘Operation Epic Fury’ strikes against Iran, resulting in the death of the nation’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei. Tehran responded swiftly, targeting American air bases in Dubai, Kuwait and Bahrain with retaliatory missiles.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer clarified the UK has “played no role in these strikes” whilst confirming British aircraft “are in the sky”. With the crisis continuing to unfold, Defence Secretary John Healey revealed the UK’s terror threat level is “absolutely” being reassessed amid fears of Iranian reprisals.
Two Iranian missiles appeared to be on course for Cyprus yesterday – home to a pair of UK military installations. These bases accommodate thousands of British service personnel on permanent deployment to the Mediterranean island.
The missiles ultimately fell short of their apparent target, plunging into the Eastern Mediterranean Sea instead. Nevertheless, the Foreign Office maintains there remains an ongoing risk in Cyprus, urging British nationals to exercise “sensible precautions” whilst in the territory, reports the Mirror.
The updated guidance warns: “There is a heightened risk of regional tension. Escalation could lead to travel disruption and other unanticipated impacts. British nationals should take sensible precautions, considering their own individual circumstances”. Recommended safety measures include consulting government guidance regarding overseas crises, registering for FCDO travel advisory email notifications, keeping abreast of domestic and international news coverage, and subscribing to additional local information services and resources.
Defence Secretary John Healey, however, stated the UK government does not believe the missiles were deliberately aimed at the bases. He said: “We don’t believe they were targeted at Cyprus, but nevertheless it’s an example of how there is a very real and rising threat from a regime that is lashing out widely across the region.
“It demonstrates how our bases, our personnel, military and civilians at the moment are at risk with a regime that is increasingly indiscriminate, widespread and uncontrollable in the attacks it’s mounting,” Mr Healey added.
The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), which continues to update its travel guidance as the conflict intensifies, has now recommended against all travel to Turkey, one of Cyprus’s bordering nations.
It recommends against all travel to areas within 10km of the Syrian border owing to “fighting and a heightened risk of terrorism”. The department has additionally issued guidance “against all but essential travel” to Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE, urging British nationals in these countries, along with Palestine and Israel, to “should shelter in place” and “register your presence” with the UK foreign office.
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