The British defence minister said “Putin’s hidden hand” is behind some Iranian tactics and capabilities as it lashes out with drones and missiles across the Middle East.
The Russia-Iran “axis of aggression” is on display as events develop in the Middle East, United Kingdom Minister of Defence John Healey said during a visit to the UK-NATO command centre at Northwood on Thursday. Addressing the level of Russian involvement in Iran’s drone, rocket, and missile strikes, Healey asserted that Putin benefits from maximising carnage because it boosts his oil revenues, and stated: “No one will be surprised to believe that Putin’s hidden hand is behind some of the Iranian tactics and potentially some of their capabilities as well.”
Healey continued, reports The Daily Telegraph that: “We have seen this axis of aggression, with Russia firing 60,000 drones into Ukraine… We have seen the same tactics by Iran. These countries like to menace their neighbours.”
The comments came after British troops shot down two drones from a swarm headed to a coalition base in Iraq on Wednesday night. Some of the drones landed in the base and exploded. No British troops were injured but some American soldiers were. Healey said the remains of the attack drones were being analysed to discover whether they had any Russian parts.
Lieutenant General Nick Perry spoke alongside defence boss Healey, to say he’d seen advances in Iranian drone technique that he credited to the battlefield experience in the Ukraine War. The officer remarked: “We have definitely seen the Iranian tactics of the use of their drones has learnt from the Russians. They are flying them much lower and therefore they are more effective. There is no doubt [the Iranian] tactics have changed and [are] being more effective and proving problematic.”
It is stated beyond lessons learned on the employment of large numbers of drones in Ukraine now being applied by Iran in the Middle East, Russia is also supporting its “axis” partner by sharing intelligence on Western targets in the Middle East. Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) said as much earlier this week when he stated, as reported, that Putin is “helping Iran. Putin hates our guts”. The White House has already warned Russia against aiding Iran.
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