British warship leaves for Mediterranean to protect Cyprus

A UK warship Tuesday left port in southern England en route to the eastern Mediterranean to "bolster British defenses in the region" the Royal Navy said.

The HMS Dragon's departure from its base in Portsmouth follows criticism from opposition politicians and the Cypriot government for a perceived slow reaction to a drone attack on Britain's Akrotiri base in southern Cyprus on March 1.

The destroyer's long-awaited deployment comes a day after US President Donald Trump said the war, which began on February 28, would be over "soon". The ship is capable of shooting down drones and ballistic missiles fired by Iran and its proxies as Iranian attacks "continue to target British interests in the region", the Royal Navy said.