Stay up to date with notifications from The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.AllNewsSportCultureLifestyleBritish troops in Erbil, northern Iraq, came under attack from an Iranian drone storm on Wednesday night. Air defence forces shot down two drones, while others successfully struck an air base in the region. This marks the third air strike against British forces, following a drone attack on RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus and a missile landing near UK personnel in Iraq. The Defence Secretary suggested that Vladimir Putin's "hidden hands" may be behind some of Iran's tactics in the Middle East conflict. Lieutenant General Nick Perry, the UK's chief of joint operations, stated there were "definitively" signs of a link between Russia and Iran, including Iran's use of drones "as learned from the Russians". In fullIran-US war latest: Supreme leader statement threatens new attacks on US bases and warns Iran will ‘avenge martyrs’Thank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in

Top British army officer tells John Healey Iranian pilots are flying Shaheds much lower, making them more effective

While some projectiles shot down, other devices evaded defences and struck an air base in Erbil, UK media reports