Britain is deploying assets, including fighter jets, to the Middle East amid tensions between Iran and Israel, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Saturday while heading to Canada for G7 talks.
"We are moving assets to the region, including jets, and that is for contingency support," Starmer told reporters travelling with him on his plane to Ottawa.
The UK leader said he had spoken with both US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu since Israel launched its first attacks on Iran early Friday, hitting military and nuclear sites. According to officials, dozens have been killed, including top army and Revolutionary Guards commanders, as well as civilians. Iran has responded with barrages of drones and missiles fired at Israel overnight Friday into Saturday.
Starmer said the situation was "fast moving" as well as "intense." "We're having ongoing discussions with our allies all of the time, both myself and (Foreign Minister) David Lammy... who also spoke to the Iranians," he said. "Our constant message is de-escalate, and therefore everything we're doing, all discussions we're having are to do with de-escalation."
The UK leader said his talk on Friday with Netanyahu had been "good and constructive" and had "included discussions about the safety and security of Israel."
Foreign Secretary Lammy said earlier Saturday that he was "alarmed" by further strikes overnight. "We must urgently de-escalate & prevent any further harm to civilians," Lammy said in a post to social media, adding he had spoken to his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi "to urge calm."
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