The head of the British military has told the BBC he "completely rejects" criticism that the UK had been ill-prepared for the conflict in the Middle East.
Speaking on Saturday as war continued in the region, Chief of the Defence Staff Sir Richard Knighton said it was "probably the most dangerous time of the last 30 years".
Some have questioned the UK's response, in particular around the sending of a Royal Navy ship to Cyprus to protect the UK military base, RAF Akrotiri, which was targeted by a drone.
Sir Richard said the UK had been "bolstering our presence" in the region for several weeks but did not give a timeline for the arrival of HMS Dragon, which remains in Portsmouth.
He said the Type 45 destroyer would leave "in the next few days, as soon as it's got ammunition on board" but did not say how long it would take to arrive in the Mediterranean.
