Britain’s RAF bases could be REMOVED from Cyprus as officials rage over Keir Starmer’s failure to protect island

The Cypriot minister expressed official "displeasure" at the Prime Minister's decision not to deploy defensive capabilities ahead of the anticipated American strikes on Iran.

He told the BBC: "I don't think anyone anywhere in the world would be in any position of accepting the presence of bases on the island without having given a clear concern given the... way things have moved forward>"

An Iranian drone struck RAF Akrotiri on Sunday, hitting a hangar typically housing US surveillance aircraft.

The Royal Navy's response has been hampered by significant delays, with HMS Dragon not expected to reach the eastern Mediterranean for a fortnight.

The air defence destroyer was only dispatched 72 hours after the drone attack and requires maintenance work in Portsmouth before departure.

A union alleged on Friday that the naval base conducting repairs operates solely between 9am and 5pm, contributing to the hold-up.

This timeline means British naval support will arrive considerably later than French and Spanish vessels heading to the region.

Two Wildcat helicopters equipped with anti-drone missiles touched down in Cyprus on Friday, providing some immediate reinforcement.

Mr Kombos demanded "actual, practical, tangible steps" from Britain to bolster the island's security arrangements.

Demonstrations erupted in Limassol in recent days, with protesters chanting "British bases out" following the drone strike.

Residents living close to RAF Akrotiri have begun fleeing their homes amid fears of further attacks as tensions between Iran, Israel and the United States intensify.

In the village of Akrotiri, a local woman named Eleni told The Telegraph whilst visiting a cemetery: "The bases make Cyprus a target when we want nothing to do with this war."

She added that numerous villagers had evacuated since the attack, seeking refuge in hotels or with family members, whilst the local church and school have shut their doors.

Melanie Steliou Nicolaou, an actress residing near the base, said the UK's approach of updating military personnel whilst leaving nearby civilians uninformed had provoked considerable anger.

RAF Akrotiri serves as a crucial hub for British military operations across the Middle East and eastern Mediterranean, supporting air missions, intelligence gathering and coalition activities.

When asked whether he wished to see the status of British bases reconsidered, Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides responded: "There is nothing I can rule out."

Some on the island are drawing comparisons with the Chagos Islands dispute, where a 2019 International Court of Justice ruling stated Britain should relinquish control "as rapidly as possible."

Costas Clerides, a former Cypriot attorney-general and Supreme Court judge, argued that Britain's decision to transfer Chagos sovereignty to Mauritius establishes a precedent suggesting "something similar can and should be implemented in the case of Cyprus."