Iran on Saturday warned the United Kingdom, the United States and France that their bases and ships in the region will be targeted if they help to stop its missile strikes on Israel, according to reports.

News agency Reuters cited Iranian state media as the source of the reports, which were widely picked up by media across the world, though the UK, which operates two sovereign base areas in Cyprus, categorically denied any involvement in Israel’s strikes on Iran or its defence from Iranian retaliatory fire.

“Let me say clearly and unequivocally that Russia’s claims that the British sovereign bases on the island of Cyprus were in any way involved is nonsense. It is deeply irresponsible at moments like this for Russia to be spreading disinformation,” the UK’s permanent representative to the United Nations Barbara Woodward said on Saturday.

Meanwhile, British newspaper the Guardian reported that a spokesperson for the country’s Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer had said that “the UK did not participate in Israel’s strikes overnight”.

Additionally, the newspaper said, the spokesperson had “indicated” that the UK’s Royal Air Force “had also not taken part in any military action to knock out Iranian drones attacking Israel in a counterattack launched by Tehran”.

On Friday, the British bases in Cyprus had released a statement which said they were “monitoring reports regarding Israel’s overnight air strikes against Iran” and that “British forces, included the British bases, did not participate”.

Despite this, the UK’s foreign office had on the same day updated its travel advisory for UK nationals visiting Cyprus, writing that “ongoing hostilities in the region and between Israel and Iran could escalate quickly and pose security risks for the wider region”.

It added that UK nationals in Cyprus should “monitor local and international media for the latest information” and “be vigilant and follow the instructions of local authorities”.

In addition, it warned that “there is a high threat of terrorist attack globally affecting UK interests and British nationals, including from groups and individuals who view the UK and British nationals as targets”.

“Although there is no recent history of terrorism in Cyprus, attacks cannot be ruled out,” it added.

Last year, Cyprus was the likely launchpad for the military support offered by the United Kingdom to defend Israel from a volley of Iranian missiles launched at the start of October.

The British defence ministry had at the time announced that two Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter jets and one Voyager air-to-air refuelling tanker “played their part in attempts to prevent further escalation in the Middle East”.

This, they said, demonstrated “the UK’s unwavering commitment to Israel’s security”.

“Due to the nature of this attack, they did not engage any targets, but they played an important part in wider deterrence and efforts to prevent further escalation,” the ministry added.

This language largely echoed that of the UK’s Defence Secretary John Healey, who was in Cyprus at the time. He had said earlier that British forces had “played their part in attempts to prevent further escalation”.

He had added his thanks to “all British personnel involved in the operation for their courage and professionalism”, and said the UK “fully stands behind Israel’s right to defend its country and its people against threats”.

Reports across British media suggested that UK fighter had been were deployed to help Israel’s air defences in a similar fashion to what had happened when Iran launched another round of missiles at Israel in April last year.

Then, the UK’s defence ministry had said British Royal Air Force jets in the Middle East “will intercept any airborne attacks within range of our existing missions, as required”.

In February last year, the UK’s bases in Cyprus had been the launchpad for British bombing raids in Yemen, as the UK, together with the US, launched strikes on positions held by the Houthi movement, a Shia Islamist organisation allegedly backed by Iran which controls much of the west of Yemen.