The UK did not take part in the US-Israeli strikes on Iran and Sir Keir Starmer will chair an emergency Cobra meeting on Saturday morning, the Press Association understands.
Downing Street said the Government’s immediate priority is ‘the safety of UK nationals’ in the Middle East, adding it stands ‘ready to protect our interests’.
A spokesman said: ‘Iran must never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon and that is why we have continually supported efforts to reach a negotiated solution.
‘Our immediate priority is the safety of UK nationals in the region and we will provide them with consular assistance, available 24/7.
‘As part of our longstanding commitments to the security of our allies in the Middle East, we have a range of defensive capabilities in the region, which we have recently bolstered. We stand ready to protect our interests.
‘We do not want to see further escalation into a wider regional conflict.’
The United States and Israel launched an attack Saturday on Iran, with the first apparent strike happening near the offices of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Iranian media reported strikes nationwide, and smoke could be seen rising from the capital.
President Donald Trump said in a video posted on social media that the U.S. had begun ‘major combat operations in Iran.’
People watch as smoke rises on the skyline after an explosion in Tehran, Iran
Smoke rises following an explosion, after Israel and the U.S. launched strikes on Iran, in Tehran
President Trump announced on Saturday morning the United States had begun ‘major combat operations’ in Iran with thick black smoke seen rising into the sky
He claimed Iran has continued to develop its nuclear program and plans to develop missiles to reach U.S.
In a briefing with reporters, a military spokesman said Israel has identified ‘a sharp acceleration’ in Iran’s missile program.
Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani says Iran was beginning to make dozens of ballistic missiles a month. He also said there had been no significant hits in Israel. He spoke just before noon, roughly four hours after the operation began.
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council confirmed its armed forces had ‘commenced a decisive response to these hostile acts.’
In a statement, it warned the Iranian people to travel to areas not included in the zones being targeted and said the government had made ‘prior arrangements’ to ensure the supply of basic necessities.
Schools and universities were ordered to close while the statement said banks would continue to operate.
The German government was informed in advance this morning about Israel’s military strikes on Iran, a spokesman said on Saturday.
Germany is in close consultation with its European partners, the spokesman said. Its crisis management team will meet at noon to discuss Iran.
A vehicle explodes into flames after the US carried out strikes on Iran
A man looks on as a plume of smoke rises following a reported explosion in Tehran
The government urged German citizens in Iran, Israel, and the wider region to register on the official system for citizens abroad and follow the instructions of the local authorities for their own protection.
The foreign ministry said it was in ‘close and constant’ contact with the embassies in Iran and Israel, as well as other missions in the region.
Two officials with different Iran-backed militias in Iraq told The Associated Press that a meeting took place two months ago between Iranian officials and allied Iraqi militias to make plans for a response in case Iran was attacked, including distributing tasks among the Iraqi armed groups.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly.
One of the officials said it was decided that the response would target U.S. forces and interests in Iraq’s semi-autonomous northern Kurdish region and in neighboring Jordan.
U.S. troops have vacated bases where they were previously stationed in Iraq in areas under the control of the central government in Baghdad.
This followed an agreement to end the military mission in Iraq of an American-led coalition fighting the Islamic State, but U.S. forces remain in the Kurdish region.
One of the most prominent Iraqi militias, Kataib Hezbollah, on Thursday issued a public statement urging its fighters to ‘be prepared to engage in a war of attrition that may be prolonged and exceed the expectations of the U.S. administration.’
It also issued a warning to the Kurdish regional government in Iraq ‘against collaborating with hostile foreign forces’ that ‘could threaten its security and future.’
This is a breaking news story more to follow.
