But the Royal Navy's destroyer departed the UK waters a week late due to repairs, and went dark by switching off its tracker on its way to the British base on Cyprus, the report adds.
During the strike, the drone managed to evade the base's air defenses, striking a hangar used by US spy planes.
In response to the attack and the threat of further strikes, senior military officials ordered an evacuation and called for additional forces for defense.
As tensions with Iran escalated, Starmer already faced intense scrutiny over the repeated delays of the UK's best destroyers, with opponents arguing he had compromised the nation’s security, the report adds.