Jeremy Clarkson has taken aim at Sir Keir Starmer over Britain's response to the US-Israeli operation in Iran that led to the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khomeini. The PM has come under fire from several high-profile figures throughout the conflict for his stance on the strikes and delays in getting involved, most notably from President Trump himself. Earlier this week, the British government dispatched HMS Dragon, a Type 45 destroyer, to the eastern Mediterranean to strengthen defences around RAF Akrotiri following a drone strike on Cyprus by Iran. The Ministry of Defence described the Iranian drone attack on RAF Akrotiri's runway as causing "minimal damage." TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say The MoD characterised HMS Dragon as "one of the most capable air defence warships in the world," noting its ability to fire eight missiles within 10 seconds. However, both of Britain's £3.2bn aircraft carriers, HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales, are currently unavailable, undergoing maintenance in Rosyth and Portsmouth respectively. And Mr Clarkson has expressed his dismay at the fact that two of Britain's aircraft carriers were unable to join. In his latest column, titled "Keir is Bit Two Stupid", Mr Clarkson mused: "If you are fortunate enough to be a two-car family, then you will know that you should never book your car, and your wife’s car, in for a service on the same day. Because then you’d have no car. "Sadly, it seems Sir Starmer doesn’t understand this simple concept," he mocked. Mr Clarkson then criticised Mr Starmer's position on the conflict. "He’s making all sorts of anti-war noises at the moment, saying that Britain wants no part of the campaign in Iran," he penned. "But the truth of the matter is that he can’t get involved. Because both of our aircraft carriers are currently being serviced. "The Queen Elizabeth is in a dock in Rosyth being refitted, and the Prince of Wales is in Portsmouth, having maintenance work done. LATEST DEVELOPMENTS Gogglebox 'bias' fury erupts after 'woke' cast deliver verdicts on Iran: 'Stop with the propaganda!' Jeremy Clarkson fires back at backlash to The Grand Tour replacements as he makes plea to fans David and Victoria Beckham's latest move has made me 'Team Brooklyn' and I'm not alone - Alex Davies "So well done, Starmer," Mr Clarkson sarcastically put in The Sun. "We paid a fortune to have those carriers built, and when we actually need them, they’re both at the menders. "And all we’ve been able to supply is a boat which should be on station in a week or two, providing none of the oars break," he dryly signed off. The government's response has also drawn fierce criticism from opposition figures and senior naval sources alike. James Cartlidge, the shadow defence secretary, accused Sir Keir of dithering in the aftermath of the attack. "It is extraordinary that, after days of war and build up to war in the Middle East, is the PM finally sending the Royal Navy to defend our interests in the region," he told The Telegraph. A high-ranking naval source expressed even stronger condemnation. "It's an absolute outrage and disgrace and we should hang our heads in shame," they said. Another veteran naval chief called for parliamentary scrutiny, stating: "There should be a parliamentary investigation as to why the British Armed Forces and Royal Navy were unable to provide any protective umbrella over Akrotiri." The Royal Navy's capacity to respond has been severely constrained by years of cuts that have reduced the fleet to its smallest size in living memory. When the drone struck RAF Akrotiri, there were no British naval assets in the Mediterranean capable of mounting a defence. The Navy had withdrawn its last major warship from the Middle East just before Christmas, leaving only a lightly armed minehunter. Admiral Lord West, the former head of the Navy, called the situation "a disgrace." He told The Telegraph: "We haven't got a single warship in the Middle East apart from an old minehunter. I've never known anything like it." France, by contrast, has deployed the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier along with additional warships to the region. President Trump has publicly criticised Sir Keir's handling of the crisis. "This is not Winston Churchill we're dealing with," the US president declared during a press conference. Trump's remarks followed his earlier dissatisfaction with Britain's initial refusal to permit American forces to use the Diego Garcia base in the Indian Ocean for launching strikes against Iran. The president also contrasted Britain's contribution unfavourably with that of other allies. "France has been great. They've all been great. The UK has been much different from others," he said. Sir Keir defended his position in the House of Commons, stating: "President Trump has expressed his disagreement with our decision not to get involved in the initial strikes, but it is my duty to judge what is in Britain's national interest. That is what I've done, and I stand by it." Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter