Missed uni application deadline for 2024 bc of unlucky circumstances. What do I do?

IIn my country, males have to go to the military for 9 months after high school graduation. Being aware of this, I didn’t bother applying for the university cycle for September 2024. However, owing to a medical condition, I am now exempt from service. I plan to enroll at a local university in my home country for a year and prepare my application for UK universities. Is this a good idea? And how do I explain this sort of missing year on my résumé?