This is reported by Bloomberg, citing a statement from the head of the British government.
Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, announced a decision to deploy part of the air forces to the Middle East. This decision was made in response to the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran, with the aim of protecting British military bases. This was reported by Bloomberg, citing a statement from the head of government.
“We are deploying forces to the region, including fighter jets.”
Starmer clarified that the units being sent to the Middle East will include combat aircraft, tanker planes, and additional Royal Air Force resources as part of Operation Shader.
Unlike the United States, the United Kingdom did not participate in intercepting Iranian drones that took place last night, although it has conducted similar operations before. Responding to questions about the reasons for the lack of intervention this time, the Prime Minister emphasized the importance of de-escalating tensions in the region.
“My clear position is that the situation must be de-escalated, and that is the focus of my negotiations.”
Additionally, he noted that he discussed possible diplomatic avenues for resolving the conflict with U.S. President Donald Trump.
Israel’s Attack on Iran
On the night of June 13, the Israel Defense Forces launched an air operation aimed at destroying Iran’s nuclear program. The Israeli Air Force struck numerous targets within Iran, including facilities related to uranium enrichment and military bases.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the operation’s goal is “to strike Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, its ballistic missile production plants, and military capabilities.” He emphasized that the operation will continue until the mission is fully accomplished.
As a result of these strikes, the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Hossein Salami, and the Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, Mohammad Bagheri, were killed, according to the Iranian state news agency.
Following the attack, several countries closed their airspace, and the IAEA expressed concern about the strikes on nuclear facilities. Iran, in turn, assured that its nuclear sites did not suffer serious damage.
In response to the Israeli strikes, Iran launched over 100 drones toward Israeli territory. On June 13 and 14, Israel carried out new airstrikes on Iranian cities housing key defense installations and military bases.
At an emergency UN Security Council meeting on June 13, Iran officially accused the United States of involvement in Israel’s strikes on Iranian territory. Washington denied these accusations and called on Tehran to negotiate over its nuclear program.
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- UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announces a new defense strategy focusing on war readiness, increased defense spending, and advanced military capabilities to counter modern threats.
- Germany, the UK, and France offer to negotiate with Iran on its nuclear program to reduce Middle East tensions after recent Israeli airstrikes and Iranian retaliations.
- Five Ukrainians, including children, may have died in an Iranian rocket attack in Israel. The conflict escalates with Israeli airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear sites and ongoing military actions.
