UK Warship Delayed: Critics Blame Cuts, Law

0:00On March 6, a former British diplomat says ministers had several weeks notice that U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran were likely, but they did not. Prepare enough. Amir Kotecha, who just quit his job handling Palestinian issues at the U.K. Embassy in Tel Aviv, pointed to the delayed deployment of HMS Dragon, AAC, Type 45 destroyer, meant to guard the RAF-acrotary base in Cyprus after Iranian drone attacks. The warship is still in Portsmouth and will not sail until next week. It needs missiles loaded, crew assigned, and final maintenance done, so it could take another week to reach the Eastern Mediterranean. Kotecha expressed surprise at the politician's slow decisions, blaming poor planning, years of defense cuts, and a strict view of international law. He left his post after more than 10 years, frustrated with how policy is shaped. The government defends its actions, noting jets, missiles, and radar were moved to Cyprus in Qatar months ago, with aircraft scrambled right away.

1:02When strikes hit, a union representing Dockyard workers adds that cost-saving changes ended around the clock operations at Portsmouth, switching to a 9-5. Monday through Friday's schedule under a contract with Circo, union leaders say staff are volunteering extra hours, but the setup failed in this crisis. Circo insisted met all Navy requests on time. These delays mean HMS Dragon will likely arrive after French and Spanish ships, raising questions about UK readiness as the Middle East tensions drag on.