Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on April 3, 2026
2 min readLast updated: April 3, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleThe UK is deploying its Rapid Sentry counter‑drone air‑defence system to Kuwait to safeguard British and Kuwaiti interests in the Gulf following an Iranian drone strike. The move includes missile‑armed, hard‑kill capability and reflects a broader reinforcement amid sustained Iranian regional aggress
LONDON, April 3 (Reuters) - Britain is deploying its Rapid Sentry air defence system to Kuwait to help protect British and Kuwaiti interests in the Gulf, Prime Minister Keir Starmer's office said on Friday, after an overnight Iranian drone attack on a Kuwaiti oil facility.
Starmer discussed the deployment in a call with Kuwait's Crown Prince Sabah al-Khalid al-Sabah on Friday morning, a Downing Street spokesperson said.
"The Prime Minister began by condemning the reckless overnight drone attack on a Kuwaiti oil refinery," the spokesperson said. "He reiterated that the UK stands with Kuwait and all our allies in the Gulf."
The spokesperson said the leaders discussed the deployment of the UK's air defence system - designed primarily to shoot down drones and other low-flying aerial threats - to Kuwait, which would protect Kuwaiti and British personnel and interests in the region, while avoiding escalation into a wider conflict.
Starmer and the crown prince also discussed disruption to global shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and welcomed a meeting chaired by British foreign minister Yvette Cooper on Thursday to draw up a plan to reopen the vital shipping route.
(Reporting by Sam TabahritiEditing by Tomasz Janowski)
The UK is deploying its Rapid Sentry air defence system to Kuwait to help protect British and Kuwaiti interests in response to an Iranian drone attack on a Kuwaiti oil facility.
The overnight Iranian drone attack targeted a Kuwaiti oil refinery.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer discussed the deployment with Kuwait's Crown Prince Sabah al-Khalid al-Sabah.
The Rapid Sentry air defence system is designed to shoot down drones and low-flying aerial threats, protecting both personnel and infrastructure.
UK and Kuwaiti leaders welcomed a meeting chaired by British foreign minister Yvette Cooper to plan the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz for global shipping.
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