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RAF jets could legally strike Iranian missile sites being used to attack British interests in the Middle East, David Lammy has declared. The Deputy Prime Minister insisted that F-35 and Typhoon jets were only shooting down missiles and drones fired by Iran at allies in the region.

But he said there was a legal basis for them to strike directly at the Iranian bases being used to launch attacks. Sir Keir Starmer previously refused to go beyond confirming that he had only approved American pilots to launch strikes on Tehran from British bases. But speaking on Friday, Mr Lammy said: “It is entirely legal to protect our people and protect our staff, and therefore all operational capability is available to us in those circumstances.”

He said the UK had the satellite and intelligence capability to identify Iranian sites.

Asked if the UK could fire at an Iranian base in anticipation of it launching an attack, he said: “It is my understanding that that would be legal.”

Defence Secretary John Healey did not rule out UK aircraft taking part in strikes on Iran, saying that “as circumstances in any conflict change, you’ve got to be willing to adapt the action you take”.

Downing Street said it remained the UK’s intention to focus on defending allies in the Middle East while allowing the US to strike targets in Iran.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “We have consistently said that we’ll take the necessary steps to prevent future strikes,” by allowing the US to take out missiles while the UK defends the skies.

“And that is a consistent position that we have conveyed throughout the week.”

Mr Lammy also said there should be an investigation into leaks from the National Security Council following reports of a Cabinet split over the response to the US and Israeli war on Iran.

The Spectator reported that the Prime Minister suggested allowing the US to use the bases to carry out defensive strikes against Iranian targets at a meeting last Friday, but was met with opposition from his Cabinet ministers Ed Miliband, Rachel Reeves, Yvette Cooper and Shabana Mahmood.

It comes as US president Donald Trump, who was set to meet Nigel Farage on Friday at his Mar-a-Lago estate in the United States, said “there will be no deal with Iran except unconditional surrender”.

Writing on his social media platform Truth Social, Mr Trump added: “After that, and the selection of a great and acceptable leader(s), we, and many of our wonderful and very brave allies and partners, will work tirelessly to bring Iran back from the brink of destruction, making it economically bigger, better, and stronger than ever before.

“Iran will have a great future. Make Iran Great Again (MIGA).”

Meanwhile, Cypriot president Nikos Christodoulides said he “rules nothing out” when asked whether Cyprus could reopen discussions about Britain’s sovereign bases on the island once the current crisis ends.

The UK has been criticised by allies over its response to the conflict, particularly over the defence of Cyprus and the RAF Akrotiri base, which was struck by a drone.

Air defence destroyer HMS Dragon is not expected to sail to the eastern Mediterranean until next week, and France and Greece have deployed military assets to defend the island.

Asked if he was embarrassed, Mr Lammy told Sky News: “Absolutely not … we have F-35s, Typhoons in the sky taking down missiles as we speak and that has happened over Jordan, it’s happened over Qatar and of course, we will support nationals in the region.

“It’s also right to say that we co-ordinate with allies, the French, the Germans. Cyprus is a Nato ally, so we co-ordinate also with other teams and other close allies on how we equip the area.

“HMS Dragon will be in the region in the coming weeks to further bolster and further support our air defences.”

Cyprus is not a member of NATO.

At least 160,000 Britons in the Middle East have registered their presence with the Government, with about 300,000 citizens in the region in total.

The Foreign Office confirmed that a second charter flight carrying stranded British nationals back from Oman took off on Friday afternoon.

Downing Street expects more flights to depart in the coming days.

Etihad Airways announced it would be resuming a “limited commercial flight schedule” until March 19, including flights to and from Abu Dhabi to Heathrow, Manchester and Dublin.