UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has confirmed that the United Kingdom was not involved in the recent strikes on Iran, stressing that “that remains the case.” However, he warned that the situation in the Gulf has become increasingly dangerous following what he described as “sustained attacks” launched by Iran across the region over the past two days.
According to Starmer, Iran has struck “airports and hotels where British citizens are staying” and narrowly missed British personnel when a military base in Bahrain was targeted. With “at least two hundred thousand British citizens in the region,” he urged nationals to register their presence and follow Foreign Office travel advice, acknowledging that it is “a deeply worrying time.”
The Prime Minister said British jets are already engaged in “coordinated defensive operations” that have intercepted Iranian strikes. He confirmed that the United States has requested permission to use British bases for a “specific and limited defensive purpose,” a request the UK has accepted under the principle of “collective self-defense.”
Starmer emphasised: “We are not joining these strikes,” but will continue defensive actions while supporting allies. A summary of the government’s legal advice is being published.
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