UNITED KINGDOM PERSPECTIVE

London approaches the event through historical and military depth. The Independent runs a long-form on Qeshm, Iran's 'fortress island' in the Strait of Hormuz, described as an 'underground missile city' threatening US troops. The paper recalls that the Royal Indian Navy operated from the island until 1863 and that the last coaling station was abandoned in 1935 at the Shah's request. Since then, Tehran has rebuilt a missile, drone and fast-boat capability on the island — giving Qeshm strategic weight for control of Hormuz. The Independent adds operational precision: CENTCOM struck a ground control tower on the island in response to Iranian attempts on Kuwait and Bahrain. Residents reported morning explosions on the 558 sq mile territory known in peacetime for its salt caves and old European fortifications. The Daily Mail plays a different register: a populist headline on Trump 'trying to forge a peace deal' as missiles fly. The tabloid quotes CENTCOM directly: 'two missiles fired at Kuwait fell short or broke apart in flight'. British coverage combines two voices — the documentary precision of The Independent and the populism of the Daily Mail — sharing a common reading: Tehran has tactical leverage, Washington is reactive. London does not repeat the Iranian Patriot theory but mentions it without judgment. Not a word on the amputations.