See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred SourceBy MARK NICOL, DEFENCE EDITOR Published: 15:29 BST, 1 June 2026 | Updated: 16:24 BST, 1 June 2026
Britain has suffered its first fatality of the Gulf conflict after a soldier was killed in a training incident. The unnamed individual was conducting exercises in northern Iraq where UK troops have thwarted Iranian drone attacks.Since the conflict began British forces have intercepted many hundreds of drones targeting international troops.Speaking in the House of Commons earlier today the Defence Secretary confirmed the incident took place on Sunday.John Healey told MPs: 'The family has been informed and asked for a period of grave before further details are released.'I know the thoughts of the House are with the family.'While the Ministry of Defence said its thoughts and sympathies were with the soldiers' family and friends at this sad time.James Cartlidge, the shadow defence secretary, said: 'Tragic news of the death of a British Army soldier in Iraq. My condolences, and the condolences of the whole of the Conservative Party, go out to their family.' On one night in March the RAF Regiment destroyed 14 Iranian suicide drones fired towards their multinational Special Forces base in Erbil. The Ministry of Defence has announced that a member of the British Army has been killed during a training accident in IraqThe attacks throughout March and April led to Italian and French troops being withdrawn.British troops stayed on, valiantly defying the Tehran regime. Some 102 Italian troops returned home and 40 relocated to Jordan.The death of the British soldier comes after a French soldier was killed conducting a counterterrorism training exercise in northern Iraq.The RAF Regiment is equipped with vehicle-mounted Rapid Sentry ground-to-air rocket systems firing lightweight multirole missiles.The airspace is also patrolled by Orcus uncrewed drones with the RAF Regiment's Ninja computer system can hack into enemy guidance systems.Since the United States and Israel began its campaign against Iran in late February more than 500 additional UK troops have deployed to the region. They have earned praise for the precision and professionalism of their operations.Iran retains the capability to launch drones towards its enemies required UK troops to continue highly realistic and dangerous mission rehearsals.Iranian proxies groups are known to be active in Iraq and have pledged to rid the country of Western influences.
