Iranian leaders threaten to bomb British base on Cyprus if the U.S. steps up the war - See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source Iranian leaders are preparing to resume attacks on a British base in Cyprus should Donald Trump escalate the conflict.

RAF Akrotiri, a centre for UK air operations in the region, was struck by an Iranian drone in March – damaging a hangar and causing a political row. Then-prime minister Keir Starmer faced questions from the Cypriot government over its failure to protect the base situated near the tourist hub of Limassol.

It emerged on Wednesday Iran is considering attacking the base and US military sites in Europe. Cypriot officials responded by appealing to Iran not to strike the Mediterranean island. A Cypriot government source said: 'We are in contact with Iran, and Cyprus is not a target.

' The Ministry of Defence insisted the security of the base, its personnel and their dependants were 'our highest priority'. A spokesman insisted RAF Akrotiri was protected by 'robust, multi-layered security measures'. Soldiers prepared to board an aircraft in April 2023 at RAF Akrotiri which was bound for Sudan An Iranian drone hit the RAF Akrotiri base in Cyprus, pictured, in March At the beginning of the conflict families of personnel at Akrotiri were forced to abandon their homes due to the Iranian aerial threat.

Labour was lambasted at the time for leaving UK service personnel and partners and children so vulnerable, and for failing to deploy a Royal Navy warship to defend Cyprus. According to a report in the Financial Times, Iranian forces are also considering US military targets in eastern and southern Europe.

It follows the US President threatening to resume attacks on Iran's civilian infrastructure. Iranian insiders told the Financial Times the country would place 'no limits' on its response should the US attack its natural resources, energy plans and transport networks.

They said Iran would defend itself 'at any price' including 'going beyond the region and hitting Europe, too'. Experts say Iran's tactic is to attack countries, such as Cyprus, that host bases but are opposed to the conflict in the hope it will call for an end to war, as Jordan did when its US bases came under fire.

Iran could also target under-sea cables in the region as hardliners in its government push for a tougher stance against the US and its allies. Diplomatic efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and resume negotiations over a broader agreement to end the war have so far failed to produce a breakthrough.

The US is exerting financial pressure on Iran by blockading its ports. Last night, the United Arab Emirates said it was suspending trade with Iran.

Media Accuses Hegseth Of Covering Up USS Lincoln Supply Crisis

The scandal and controversy over the USS Lincoln aircraft carrier continues, despite the Trump administration and top military brass reiterating this week that the issues have been hugely overblown. It's long been reported that the supercarrier which is front line in the war against Iran has suffered resupply problems, low morale, sub-standard conditions, and mental health problems given the over-extended deployment.

One prominent media outlet is now alleging that the crisis is largely due to War Secretary Pete Hegseth having "hid" a crucial piece of information - that amid Iran's retaliation during Operation Epic Fury, it had destroyed much of the main resupply base for the US Central Command region (CENTCOM). via Stars & Stripes

MS Now senior national security reporter David Rohde made the claim, saying that when the logistics hub Naval Support Activity (NSA) Bahrain was struck by Iranian ballistic missiles at the start of the war, it effectively crippled Pentagon resupply and logistics for the Mideast region.

According to MS Now's reporting:

During a segment in MS Now discussing President Donald Trump's dismissal of reports of low morale and the mental health concerns of those aboard the carrier during an unusually long deployment, Rohde said the resupply issue was "because Pete Hegseth hid the fact that Iran destroyed the main resupply base that the United States has in the Gulf."

"He did not make that public in press conference after press conference, and that is, again, the way that they have mishandled this war," Rohde added. The full segment can be viewed here.

As a reminder, at the end of June the Wall Street Journal featured several satellite images which demonstrated the widespread destruction at the base. From there, the Pentagon was forced to only maintain a small staff there, and is said to be mulling abandoning it as an operations center altogether.

"When the Iranian missiles and drones came for the nerve center of America’s naval operations in the Middle East, some of them hit their mark," that prior WSJ reporting indicated. According to more:

The U.S. Navy base in Bahrain was repeatedly targeted between late February and June. Strikes that got through caused extensive damage, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis of satellite imagery, social-media footage and interviews with current and former servicemembers—damage that the Pentagon hasn’t publicly acknowledged. Hit hard were the command headquarters and at least a dozen other buildings, along with two satellite communications terminals.

The military said no one was killed at the base, known as Naval Support Activity Bahrain, and that the strikes didn’t significantly impact operations. The U.S. evacuated most personnel but has kept a small staff on the ground.

,,,The extensive damage done to America’s sole naval base in the Middle East—along with hits to at least 20 U.S. sites across the region, including military installations and diplomatic facilities—has the U.S. re-evaluating its entire footprint in the region, according to U.S. officials familiar with the deliberations.

All of this reportedly had significant impact on the USS Lincoln's ability to maintain standard supplies and conditions. Again, all of this is being downplayed or else outright denied by the Pentagon and US administration.

Media headlines focused on the Lincoln have been growing over the summer...

We will quote one unnamed former national security insider who has offered the following...

"Bahrain NSA was critical to keeping carriers on station because it provided nearby supplies and you can't put the carriers in at ports within missile range of Iran as they will become sitting ducks (and sabotage targets). Bahrain NSA was a soft target (I've been there), and questions should be raised about why it wasn't hardened if we were going to use military force against Iran. Iran could not destroy a carrier so it did the next best thing and destroyed its logistics."

Tyler Durden Wed, 08/19/2026 - 14:45

U.S. government agencies warned that unidentified hackers, utilizing AI to develop exploits, are attempting to breach Siemens S7 Series programmable logic controllers used in critical infrastructure. This advisory, issued by multiple federal departments, notes that these attempts coincide with recent cyber incidents targeting water systems in several states, which experts suspect may be linked to Iran.

Siemens has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the matter.

U.S. equity futures were largely flat with mixed performance across sectors, while Brent crude rose 0.8% to near $92 following reports that indicated limited progress toward a resolution to the U.S.-Iran conflict. Investors focused on upcoming Fed minutes and a 20-year bond auction for signals regarding monetary policy and government borrowing costs.