Israel and US hit Iran

Starmer has failed to act in a timely manner over Cyprus. His failure, his responsibility. He should resign.

fancythat

If there had been a lot of muslim Uk nationals living in Cyprus, Sir Kier would be acting totally differently.

Silly thing to say. Some of those coming back from Dubai and the Emirates etc., will be UK Muslim nationals. How would he even know unless he checks every person who registers on the home office page.

Sorry read your list wrong fancythat, but it is still a rather silly one.

*post not list 🙈

Tuliptree

fancythat

If there had been a lot of muslim Uk nationals living in Cyprus, Sir Kier would be acting totally differently.

What a terrible wicked post

I think some of us at least, recognise that as the truth.

So what does that say about Sir Kier?
Can you imagine the shouts of "racist" if he delayed for them?

If they were Chinese Uk nationals, he would be hot footing it as well.

ronib

Hang on … Italy, France and Germany has sent its navy to protect Cyprus…. Beyond belief!

Have you never heard of NATO?

mae13

Whitewavemark2

Doesn’t Congress have to authorise this?

Still I suppose it takes the voters’ minds off Epstein and the dismal poll ratings.

True enough, but starting a war in order to "save" a badly tarnished reputation is the act of a seriously unstable individual.

I think this can only add to the growing rumours that the President is at some stage of irreversible dementia.

Agree. It’s Dr Strangelove in action. Terrifying for the world as he acts in a demented manner with apparently no control. In retrospect Watergate was nothing compared with this evil clown’s shenanigans. We can only hope that America can sort out a way to get rid of him well before the midterm elections before many more die needlessly. Come on America you used to claim to be the policeman of the world. Police this idiot out of office and in prison for crimes against humanity.

Trump makes Nixon look honest and makes Dubya look intelligent.
Am in my mid seventies and have never seen a President as horrifyingly terrible as Trump.
God help us all.

Richard Murphy this morning points out some worrying conclusions made by A succession of retired former generals and security chiefs, including a British former deputy chief of NATO and the former head of MI6, have been appearing in interviews that can be found on their X channel, all of them saying the same thing, which can, however, be broken down into three parts.

And part three is:

there is a very real risk that Israel and the USA will lose this war, as will the UK, as a result of its collateral involvement. Iran has been preparing for war for a very long period of time. It has a very large stockpile of admittedly low-grade missiles available to it, plus an enormous capacity to manufacture drones. Israeli and Western defence forces have not reacted in the way that the precedent in Ukraine should have suggested to be necessary, which is to create cheap anti-drone defence mechanisms. The consequence is that Israel and the USA are much more likely to run out of weapons than Iran is, leaving Iran with the potential capability of controlling this region militarily, which is just about the last thing that anyone would wish, given the nature of the regime in that country and its apparent indifference to imposing suffering through loss of human life.

www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2026/03/06/rarely-have-we-ever-marched-into-the-unknown-so-ill-equipped-to-manage-the-consequences/

Our Navy is in a sad state with only 4 destroyers or frigates and one attack submarine available for action.

All the rest including both aircraft carriers are at various stages of repairs, we have been well and truly caught with our trousers down. At least the RAF is in better shape

That is very disturbing MaizieD but thanks for posting as I would rather know.

I've just looks at air traffic in the gulf there is a stream of flights into Dubai and Muscat, it was disappointing that only 40 were on the latest flight to UK, maybe many have decided to sit tight for now.

AGAA4

ronib

Hang on … Italy, France and Germany has sent its navy to protect Cyprus…. Beyond belief!

Have you never heard of NATO?

Have you never heard of the UK navy? Absent when most needed.

Our navy has always had a contingent in the Meditteranean area and this is the first time in over two decades that we do not have any backup. There are currently only two UK ships in the area, 1 is a destroyer that is berthed in th UAE, its has been stripped ready for the knackers yard and the other one is a small minesweeper which has little self protection.

Currently in the UK we have 6 Type 45 destroyers all which have the high tech equipment to destroy drones with a radar range of several hundred miles. Of these six, one (HMS Duncan) is pootling around the Irish Sea and is not fit to compete with Mediterranean temperatures. The only other one ready and able is HMS Dragon which is currently in dry dock for the next week and then will be ready for a sail to the med which takes a week.

Of the remaining four Type 45's, 3 are undergoing long term maintenance and have been out of service for some years.

Oh and lets not get started on our flagship aircraft carriers, both in dry dock and unavailable for service at this time.

If I was them I think I might sit tight.

I dont get the impression that Trump does much of anything for any length of time.

Plus many will have lives jobs and homes and schools and finances all caught up there.
Not the same as being retired.
Though there will be come of them of course.

prestbury

AGAA4

ronib

Hang on … Italy, France and Germany has sent its navy to protect Cyprus…. Beyond belief!

Have you never heard of NATO?

Have you never heard of the UK navy? Absent when most needed.

Our navy has always had a contingent in the Meditteranean area and this is the first time in over two decades that we do not have any backup. There are currently only two UK ships in the area, 1 is a destroyer that is berthed in th UAE, its has been stripped ready for the knackers yard and the other one is a small minesweeper which has little self protection.

Currently in the UK we have 6 Type 45 destroyers all which have the high tech equipment to destroy drones with a radar range of several hundred miles. Of these six, one (HMS Duncan) is pootling around the Irish Sea and is not fit to compete with Mediterranean temperatures. The only other one ready and able is HMS Dragon which is currently in dry dock for the next week and then will be ready for a sail to the med which takes a week.

Of the remaining four Type 45's, 3 are undergoing long term maintenance and have been out of service for some years.

Oh and lets not get started on our flagship aircraft carriers, both in dry dock and unavailable for service at this time.

This looks like being Sir Kier's legacy.
It wont look pretty.

Eveen though all the blame cannot be levelled at the Labour Party.
Conservative Party played a big part too.

AGAA4

That is very disturbing MaizieD but thanks for posting as I would rather know.

Iran certainly has massive drone capability, we have seen in Ukraine how that can change a war, unless the US has a means of countering that it's a big problem.

Much of the drone activity in Ukraine is fiber optic guided up to 20km range and hard to counter but don't discount the US or Israelis using them against Iran.

prestbury

AGAA4

ronib

Hang on … Italy, France and Germany has sent its navy to protect Cyprus…. Beyond belief!

Have you never heard of NATO?

Have you never heard of the UK navy? Absent when most needed.

Our navy has always had a contingent in the Meditteranean area and this is the first time in over two decades that we do not have any backup. There are currently only two UK ships in the area, 1 is a destroyer that is berthed in th UAE, its has been stripped ready for the knackers yard and the other one is a small minesweeper which has little self protection.

Currently in the UK we have 6 Type 45 destroyers all which have the high tech equipment to destroy drones with a radar range of several hundred miles. Of these six, one (HMS Duncan) is pootling around the Irish Sea and is not fit to compete with Mediterranean temperatures. The only other one ready and able is HMS Dragon which is currently in dry dock for the next week and then will be ready for a sail to the med which takes a week.

Of the remaining four Type 45's, 3 are undergoing long term maintenance and have been out of service for some years.

Oh and lets not get started on our flagship aircraft carriers, both in dry dock and unavailable for service at this time.

Have you never heard of the UK navy? Absent when most needed.

Not always thus, prestbury

I assume you mean at the present moment.

It looks like the RAF is getting stuck in; bombing targets in Iran

prestbury our navy has been run down by lack of investment. We just don't have the resources we once had so we can't suddenly produce what isn't there.

Boz

It looks like the RAF is getting stuck in; bombing targets in Iran

Where have you heard that?

It has been said that the RAF could legally target missile launching sites within Iran, but I cannot see any information that they have.

So the Allies could run out of weapons?
Who has got the biggest bomb?

GrannyGravy13

Boz

It looks like the RAF is getting stuck in; bombing targets in Iran

Where have you heard that?

It has been said that the RAF could legally target missile launching sites within Iran, but I cannot see any information that they have.

LIVE
RAF could bomb Iranian missile silos, Lammy says.

I should have said 'could' but, lets face it. it looks a dead cert.

Boz

So the Allies could run out of weapons?
Who has got the biggest bomb?

The plan announced by the US is to reduce the use of expensive guided weapons and change to free fall bombs using B52 and B1 bombers cheaper option with plentiful supply. We should not underestimate the US capability they can blockade Iran for many months with very little risk, resupply will soon become a problem for Iran with sea and air routes closed

Boz

GrannyGravy13

Boz

It looks like the RAF is getting stuck in; bombing targets in Iran

Where have you heard that?

It has been said that the RAF could legally target missile launching sites within Iran, but I cannot see any information that they have.

LIVE
RAF could bomb Iranian missile silos, Lammy says.

I should have said 'could' but, lets face it. it looks a dead cert.

Probably most missiles are launched from mobile launchers, destroying them is just as important, predator drones can easily do that loitering in the area for hours until a target comes up

David49

Boz

GrannyGravy13

Boz

It looks like the RAF is getting stuck in; bombing targets in Iran

Where have you heard that?

It has been said that the RAF could legally target missile launching sites within Iran, but I cannot see any information that they have.

LIVE
RAF could bomb Iranian missile silos, Lammy says.

I should have said 'could' but, lets face it. it looks a dead cert.

Probably most missiles are launched from mobile launchers, destroying them is just as important, predator drones can easily do that loitering in the area for hours until a target comes up

I think a concern is that Israel and the US could run short of conventional defensive weaponry such as that used to intercept missiles and which are time consuming and costly to produce. This seems to put civilian populations even more at risk.

Iran is expert at producing the drones in very large quantities which can evade conventional interceptors and take much less time to replenish.

Do Israel and the US produce the drones you describe, David? Aren't they something which has been developed (and very effectively used) by Ukraine? They won't be wanting to divert their supply elsewhere, will they?