His announcement comes after Britain's Royal Air Force (RAF) Akrotiri base was struck early Monday by an Iranian-made drone, which hit the runway. Another two were intercepted.

"The UK is fully committed to the security of Cyprus and British military personnel based there," Starmer wrote on X.

"We're continuing our defensive operations and I've just spoken with the President of Cyprus to let him know that we are sending helicopters with counter drone capabilities and HMS Dragon is to be deployed to the region.

"We will always act in the interest of the UK and our allies," he added.

HMS Dragon is one of the Royal Navy's six Type 45 air defence destroyers.

It is fitted with a Sea Viper missile system able to launch eight missiles in under 10 seconds and guide up to 16 missiles simultaneously, Britain's defence ministry said in a press release.

The ministry added that the helicopters are Wildcat helicopters equipped with Martlet missiles that can take down drones.

Britain's armed forces have helped shoot down multiple drones across the region in the past 24 hours, according to the defence ministry, including over Jordan and Qatar.

Starmer initially refused to have any role in the US-Israeli war with Iran but later agreed to a US request to use two British military bases for a "specific and limited defensive purpose".

Those bases are in Gloucestershire in western England and the UK-US Diego Garcia base in the Indian Ocean.

Starmer has insisted that the Akrotiri base is not being used by US bombers.

Monday's drone strike there caused minimal damage and no casualties, according to British officials.

The families of service personnel have been moved away from the base as a precaution.