Scots soldiers on ‘standby' in Cyprus amid threat from Iran and fears of more Middle East conflicts
The shock move follows escalating tensions in the region involving Israel and Donald Trump's missile strikes on Iran's nuclear stockpile.
ARMY HEAD EAST Scots soldiers on 'standby' in Cyprus amid threat from Iran and fears of more Middle East conflicts
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SCOTS troops will today fly to Cyprus to be put on "standby" for more Middle East conflicts.
Soldiers from The Royal Regiment of Scotland will jet out for a two-year deployment described as a 'high-readiness standby formation'.
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Scottish soldiers are flying to Cyprus for a two-year deployment amid Middle East tensions
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The shock move follows escalating tensions in the region involving Israel and Donald Trump's missile strikes on Iran's nuclear stockpile.
Soldiers from the 4th Battalion will be based at the British Sovereign Base Area, Dhekelia.
Their job will be to respond at short notice to conflicts across the Middle East and North Africa.
They've also been tasked with supporting peacekeeping efforts and protecting key military infrastructure on the island.
Captain Craig Taylor: 'Moving to Cyprus will be a big change for us, not just in terms of the climate.
'This is an exciting opportunity that soldiers have been training hard for.
'It's not a short-term tour or exercise - it's a full overseas posting which gives us the chance to experience new cultures and ways of life.
'Professionally, it sharpens our edge. We'll be held at high readiness to deploy anywhere in the region, and beyond which is of real strategic importance to the UK.'
Since its formation in 2006, battalions of The Royal Regiment of Scotland have been deployed to operations in Northern Ireland, Iraq, Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Sierra Leone.
It has also supported the United Nations in Cyprus, while soldiers have received a haul of gallantry medals.
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The 4th Battalion have been based at Catterick, Yorkshire, for the last 10 years but will now move to the holiday island - which is just 255 miles from Israel's coast.
During that time, they have been able to 'put down roots' - building families and friendships, and continuing 'proud' Scottish traditions, including the Highland games.
Capt Taylor added: 'We're proud of everything we've achieved here.
'But now it's time to pack up, push forward, and embed our Scottish identity into a new location.'
Scots soldiers have a long history of service in the Middle East, dating back centuries.
More recently, they have been a key part of Operation Shader, which involved military intervention against ISIS between 2017 and 2018.
Soldiers have also contributed to Operation Tosca - the United Nation's peacekeeping force in Cyprus.
The mission involves maintaining the buffer zone between the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities, monitoring activity, and reporting violations.
We told how the Middle East was rocked earlier this month when Israel launched surprise attacks on Iran's key military and nuclear sites.
Iran fired back, before the US got involved and 'obliterated' further sites in the country.
A ceasefire agreement is in place, but Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned against further attacks.
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