Israeli airstrikes hit Palestinian refugee camp in S. Lebanon's Sidon -- report

JERUSALEM -- The Israeli air force struck Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps' aerospace forces headquarters, which served as a reception, transmission, and research center for the Iranian Space Agency, the Israeli military said in a statement on Sunday.

Gong Jiong, a professor at the University of International Business and Economics, told China Daily that Israel may soon encounter a dual dilemma. As the war drags on, Israeli people who are taking shelter from missiles in "safe rooms" and experiencing social life disruption, might take to the streets in protest, exerting tremendous political pressure on the Benjamin Netanyahu government. Additionally, intercepting missiles puts the defender in a disadvantageous position, akin to "hitting a bullet with a bullet". Facing Iran's stockpile of missiles, Israel's defense capability may have a huge problem.

TEHRAN -- Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it carried out strikes on the US Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Saturday morning, according to local media reports.

Regional leaders have doubled down on their calls to return to diplomacy after tensions escalated to a dizzying phase as the United States, Israel, and Iran kept up their strikes across the Middle East.

On Friday, nearly a week into the conflict, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates continued to thwart Iranian strikes as Israel launched fresh strikes in Lebanon against Hezbollah, while the US targeted Iran, where at least 20 people have been killed and 30 injured.

In Iran, at least 1,332 people have been killed by the US and Israeli joint attacks since Feb 28, according to the Iranian Red Crescent.

In Israel, the air force said it conducted a "broad-scale wave" of 26 strikes in the Dahieh area of Lebanon, targeting "Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure".

It also claimed that measures were taken to mitigate the risk of harm to civilians before the strikes.

Residents in Dubai continued to receive attack alerts on their phones on Friday, while France's Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot said a total of 52 French ships were currently blocked in the Gulf region and another eight in the Red Sea.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had shot down an Israeli Heron drone flying over the central city of Isfahan.

On Friday, Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake became the latest world leader to call for peace.

"No civilian should die in wars. Our approach is that every life is as precious as our own. We jealously guard our nonaligned policy while ensuring that humanitarian values and the saving of lives remain our top priority," said the president in a post on X.

Dissanayake also urged all parties "to demonstrate a firm commitment to peace".

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday that tensions in the Middle East have reached an alarming level following airstrikes on Iran, as he vowed to intensify diplomatic efforts to prevent further escalation. However, Erdogan also said if a risk to Turkiye's security arises, they would take all necessary measures to coordinate with allies, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Turkiye, he said, would continue multi-faceted diplomatic efforts to prevent further bloodshed in the region and stop tensions from escalating to an irreversible point.

A similar call was made by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, noting that Cairo was pursuing mediation efforts to halt the fighting, according to a statement.

Essential needs stressed

During a ceremony on Friday organized by the Egyptian Military Academy, the Egyptian president said the war reflected miscalculations and misjudgments. He warned that the current crisis could affect prices and cautioned against exploiting the situation to raise or manipulate them.

Sisi also stressed that Egypt is in a state of near emergency and that people's essential needs must not be compromised.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said Iran is being "demolished" ahead of schedule and "at levels people have never seen before", claiming the country now has "no air force, no air defense" and the "navy is gone".

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had said in an interview with NBC News that Iran does not want a ceasefire with the US and Israel after being attacked twice during recent negotiations.

Meanwhile, two US officials told Reuters that US military investigators believe it is likely that US forces were responsible for an apparent strike on an Iranian girls' school that killed scores of children last Saturday but have not yet reached a final conclusion or completed their investigation.

The girls' school in Minab, in southern Iran, was hit during the first day of US and Israeli attacks on the country. According to state media, Iran on Tuesday held funerals for at least 165 people including students killed.

Agencies contributed to this story.

jan@chinadailyapac.com

WASHINGTON -- US President Donald Trump said on Friday the White House is seeking a new Iranian leader who can "treat the United States and Israel well" and he is not concerned whether the Middle Eastern country becomes a democracy.

Asked in a phone call with CNN whether Iran needs to be a democracy, Trump said: "No, I'm saying there has to be a leader that's going to be fair and just."

Trump also said he is open to having a religious leader in Iran.

"Do a great job. Treat the United States and Israel well, and treat the other countries in the Middle East -- they're all our partners," he said of a new Iranian leadership that the US seeks.

The US and Israel launched joint massive attacks on Iran on Feb 28, killing Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with senior military commanders and civilians.

Trump said Thursday he wants a say in picking Iran's next supreme leader, a claim criticized by Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh as a "colonial approach".

CORTINA D'AMPEZZO -- The National Paralympic Committee of Iran will not compete at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games due to travel safety concerns, the International Paralympic Committee announced on Friday.

Iran had been due to participate at Milan-Cortina with one athlete - Aboulfazl Khatibi Mianaei, a two-time Paralympian in para cross-country skiing.

The 23-year-old, who took part in PyeongChang 2018 and Beijing 2022, planned to compete in the men's sprint classic standing and the men's 10km interval start classic standing events this time.

IPC President Andrew Parsons said, "It is really disappointing for world sport and especially for Aboulfazl that he is unable to travel safely to compete at his third Paralympic Winter Games at Milan-Cortina 2026."

The opening ceremony will be held at the Verona Olympic Arena on Friday evening. According to the IPC, as a result of Iran's non-participation, the country's flag has been removed from Friday's opening ceremony.

LONDON -- Brent crude oil, the international benchmark, topped $90 per barrel during Friday's session, the first time since April 2024, trading data showed.

Affected by the tensions in the Middle East, Brent oil price rose to around 91 dollars per barrel by 3 pm local time (1500 GMT), surging around 7 percent from the previous trading day.

US President Donald Trump said on Friday the United States will accept no agreement with Iran short of "unconditional surrender", one day after Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said Iran is not requesting a ceasefire and does not see any reason to negotiate with Washington.

Qatar's energy minister has said that oil prices would hit $150 per barrel without a quick end to the conflict, according to a report by the Financial Times.

Is the Strait of Hormuz blocked — or not? Du Ping, an international affairs commentator, says, in reality, both are true. Iran hasn't imposed a formal blockade, yet repeated threats have disrupted shipping through the strait. Low cost, high impact — this "verbal blockade" is a strategic play targeting the United States and its regional allies.

BEIJING -- China attaches high importance to passengers being stranded in the Middle East and has gone all out to provide relevant assistance, a foreign ministry spokesperson said on Friday in response to a related query.

Spokesperson Mao Ning told a daily press briefing that the ministry has activated emergency response mechanism at the earliest opportunity, and held urgent consultations with the Civil Aviation Administration and other competent authorities for the early resumption of flights while ensuring safety, adding that positive progress has been made with the joint efforts of various parties.

Mao noted that on the night of March 4, nearly 300 Chinese nationals arrived safely in Guangzhou from Dubai on a foreign airline flight. Starting March 5, Air China, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines and Hainan Airlines have successively resumed round-trip flights to the UAE, Oman, Saudi Arabia and other countries.

"We once again caution that the current situation in the Middle East remains complex and severe with high uncertainties," said Mao. She also urged Chinese nationals to avoid traveling to countries and regions affected by the military conflict, and advised those already there to closely follow relevant information and leave promptly while flights are available.

China's envoy to the United Nations on Thursday called on the international community to ensure the stability of global energy and critical mineral supply chains amid rising tensions in the Middle East, which have disrupted maritime transport and raised concerns about global economic stability.

"Global geopolitical tensions are high, and conflicts frequently erupt in resource-rich regions such as the Middle East and Africa, affecting the normal production and transportation of energy and critical minerals," Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the UN, said at a Security Council meeting on energy, critical minerals and security.

He urged all parties to abide by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, resolve disputes through dialogue, protect non-military targets, and "maintain the security and smooth operation of navigation routes".

Fu's remarks come as the Strait of Hormuz, a key transit corridor of global energy markets, has experienced significant disruptions due to recent military actions and threats.

A senior Iranian military advisor said on Monday that the country's armed forces will prevent any oil shipments from passing through the Strait of Hormuz, according to Xinhua News Agency. Several commercial vessels have reportedly been damaged, and shipping companies have paused transit through the strait, creating a ripple effect in global energy markets.

"The situation in the Middle East is worrying," Fu said. "China urges all parties to immediately cease military actions, prevent the further escalation of tensions, and avoid greater impacts on the global economy."

He pointed out that the global distribution of energy and critical minerals is "highly uneven", and "countries inevitably face mismatches between supply and industrial demand", calling for "a fair and transparent economic and trade order", building "an inclusive and open supply chain system", and promoting "mutually beneficial cooperation and peaceful use of resources".

"No country should politicize or securitize energy and critical mineral issues, pursue Cold War thinking, or form exclusive blocs with geopolitical overtones," said the ambassador.

"The formation and development of global industrial and supply chains result from economic globalization and market mechanisms," said Fu, adding that political manipulation or artificial interference will "only further disrupt global markets and cooperation, ultimately backfiring on the instigator".

He emphasized that countries' sovereign rights over natural resources must be fully respected, and developing countries should be able to leverage their resources to promote economic development without being confined to the lower end of global industrial chains.

"Relevant countries should abandon outdated colonialist thinking, fully respect the development paths and policy choices of other countries, engage in mutually beneficial commercial cooperation on an equal footing, and refrain from seizing or exploiting other countries' resources for self-interest or resorting to military coercion," said Fu.

Fu also highlighted China's role as the world's largest producer, consumer and trader of minerals, and introduced the Green Minerals International Economic and Trade Cooperation Initiative launched at the 20th G20 Leaders' Summit, aimed at promoting sustainable development in the global mineral sector and maintaining stable, fair and mutually beneficial supply chains.

The European Commission says it will fully safeguard the European Union's interests after the United States threatened to end trade relations with Spain in retaliation for Madrid denying the US use of its military bases for strikes on Iran.

Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez issued a forceful response on Wednesday to the US threat to sever trade ties with Spain, reaffirming his opposition to war and what he termed a "collapse of international law".

In a 10-minute television broadcast, Sanchez reflected on the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, as well as the Iraq war more than 20 years ago, saying Madrid's stance can be summed up as "no to war".

Just hours later, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Spain had "agreed to cooperate with the US military", without providing details on what the cooperation would entail.

However, Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares told Cadena SER radio shortly afterward that "our position on the use of the bases, on the war in the Middle East, on the bombardment of Iran, has not changed at all".

Washington warned on Tuesday that it would slap a trade embargo on Spain after the EU member state and NATO ally barred US forces from using its bases for operations tied to strikes on Iran.

"Spain has been terrible," US President Donald Trump told journalists during a meeting with Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Washington.

"We're going to cut off all trade with Spain. We don't want anything to do with Spain," Trump added.

On Wednesday, the European Commission's deputy chief spokesman, Olof Gill, said, "We stand in full solidarity with all member states and all its citizens and, through our common trade policy, stand ready to act if necessary to safeguard EU interests."

Later on Wednesday, European Commission Vice-President Stephane Sejourne said, "Any threat against a member state is by definition a threat against the EU."

Gill added: "Trade between the European Union and the United States is deeply integrated and mutually beneficial. Safeguarding this relationship, particularly at a time of global disruption, is more important than ever and clearly in the interest of both sides."

Relations between the US and Spain were already strained, with Madrid resisting Washington's calls for NATO allies to boost defense spending.

Sanchez wrote on X that he had spoken with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa, both of whom voiced their support.

'Economic coercion'

Euronews reported that French President Emmanuel Macron had phoned Sanchez "to express France's European solidarity in response to the recent threats of economic coercion".

The EU-US trade accord struck last summer remains on ice after the European Parliament paused implementation following a February US Supreme Court ruling that deemed the administration's 2025 tariffs unlawful.

After his meeting with Trump in Washington on Tuesday, Merz told reporters that he had privately informed the US president that Spain could not be carved out of any trade pact concluded between the EU and the US.

"I said that Spain is a member of the European Union and we negotiate about tariffs with the United States only together or not at all," he said. "There is no way to treat Spain particularly badly."

AFP contributed to this story.

jonathan@mail.chinadailyuk.com

Amid incessant attacks and diplomatic restraints, the Middle East remained in turmoil on Thursday after the United States Senate blocked a resolution that would have required the White House to seek congressional approval before continuing military actions against Iran.

The foreign ministers of Gulf nations were also in touch with their Iranian counterparts to discuss the latest developments in the region. Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani had a call with Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, urging Tehran to halt its attacks.

The conflict widened to international waters as a US submarine destroyed an Iranian frigate in Sri Lanka's territorial waters on Wednesday. More than 80 bodies have been recovered after that attack, while 32 sailors were rescued.

Sri Lanka's cabinet spokesman Nalinda Jayatissa confirmed a second Iranian warship was heading to the same waters on Thursday. But it is believed that the second one is part of a group of three Iranian navy vessels returning from an international maritime event in India.

The second ship contacted Sri Lankan authorities, indicating they had run into engine trouble and asked to call into port, Al Jazeera reported.

In Azerbaijan, authorities said Iran fired four drones at its territory, injuring four people, adding that it had summoned the Iranian ambassador to issue an objection.

The Bahrain Defense Force said it had destroyed 75 missiles and 123 drones since the onset of the Iranian attacks, Bahrain's Gulf Daily News reported on Thursday.

Also on Thursday, Iran's Revolutionary Guards said it had hit a US tanker in the north of the Persian Gulf, setting the ship on fire.

Earlier in the day, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said it received a report of a large explosion 30 nautical miles southeast of Kuwait's Mubarak al-Kabeer Port.

Oil was reportedly seen in the water from a cargo tanker, potentially causing an environmental impact, though the UKMTO added that all crew were safe.

Resolution blocked

In the US, the Senate rejected on Wednesday a resolution aimed at curbing the president's authority to continue military strikes on Iran.

The bipartisan measure, introduced by Democrat Tim Kaine and Republican Rand Paul, would have required the withdrawal of US forces from hostilities against Iran unless Congress authorizes the campaign.

However, with Republicans holding a 53-47 majority in the upper chamber of Congress and largely backing the president's decision to attack Iran alongside Israel, the resolution fell short by exactly that margin.

In the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli, two people, including an official of Palestinian militant group Hamas, were killed and a woman was injured in an Israeli drone strike that targeted a residential apartment before dawn on Thursday.

Iran has warned that if its embassy is attacked in Lebanon, all Israeli embassies across the world will become legitimate targets. The Israeli army had earlier issued forced displacement orders for Iranian officials to leave Lebanon.

In Israel, sirens were heard before dawn on Thursday in Tel Aviv as air defenses faced attacks from Iran.

Qatar's Interior Ministry said relevant authorities were "evacuating residents living in the vicinity of the US embassy as a temporary precautionary measure" within the framework of maintaining public safety.

"Suitable accommodation has been provided for them as part of necessary preventive measures. Please follow official channels for reliable information," the ministry said on Thursday.

The move comes after US government buildings and military assets in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates have been attacked by drones this week.

Oman's Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi said on Thursday that his country was working with other governments to get citizens out safely.

"For everyone hoping to fly home from the Gulf, the Omani government is working with your governments and international airlines to organize flights to get you home. We mean everyone, whatever passport you hold," he said.

Xinhua and agencies contributed to this story.

Last weekend, the United States and Israel launched a coordinated aerial assault on Iran, dubbed Operation Epic Fury, striking key leadership targets in Tehran and eliminating Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with several top military officials.

This brazen decapitation strike, executed without United Nations authorization or broad international consultation, has ignited a rapidly escalating conflict. Iranian retaliatory missiles have rained down on Israeli cities, US military bases in the Gulf, and even civilian infrastructure in allied states like Saudi Arabia and Qatar. The Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for global energy flows, has been declared closed by Iran's Revolutionary Guard, halting tanker traffic and triggering immediate chaos in world markets.

What began under the pretext of neutralizing Iran's missile and nuclear threats has exposed the US and Israel as actors willing to upend international norms, embodying the very "rogue" behavior they decry in others.

The idea of "rogue states", popularized by post-Cold War US administrations, serves as a rhetorical tool for hegemonic powers to justify intervention against nations that defy their dominance. Yet the true roguery lies not in those labeled as outliers, but in the superpowers themselves — those who wield sovereignty while flouting the democratic ideals they claim to uphold. The "rogue state" respects neither its obligations as a state before the law of the world community nor the requirements of international law.

Viewed through this lens, the US-Israel alliance emerges as the ultimate rogue: launching preemptive strikes that kill a sovereign leader, bypassing global institutions and risking regional conflagration for strategic gains. This is no mere hypocrisy; it's often a sign of the times, where might masquerades as right, eroding important features of the post-World War II order.

The downstream implications are already rippling through global energy markets, underscoring the US' irresponsibility in prioritizing unilateral aggression over collective stability. In the short term, the conflict has sent shock waves through commodity prices. These immediate jolts reflect the fragility of global oil and gas supply chains, where closure of a single choke point can inflate costs for consumers worldwide.

The US administration, by escalating without a clear endgame — it projected that the campaign could last four to five weeks or longer — has demonstrated a cavalier disregard for these vulnerabilities. The strikes, ostensibly aimed at Iran's nuclear and missile infrastructure, have amplified economic disruptions in many parts of the world, with shipping reroutes and insurance premiums poised to drive up costs for everything from fuel to freight.

Looking at the medium term, the risks compound if Iran targets regional oil and gas facilities. Already, Saudi Arabia's Ras Tanura refinery, one of the world's largest, has been hit by missiles, prompting shutdowns in Qatar's liquefied natural gas plants, although Iranian officials have denied striking the refinery.

A prolonged blockade or sustained attacks could push oil prices beyond $100 per barrel, according to analysts, potentially triggering a global recession as major importers grapple with supply gaps and reshape global gas and oil flows.

Iran's capacity to disrupt Gulf infrastructure highlights the US' overextension. By diverting resources to bolster Israel's air defenses amid simultaneous strikes on Hezbollah in Lebanon, Washington appears to have left its Gulf partners exposed.

Saudi observers, echoing regional anxieties, whisper of US "abandonment", as US interceptors prioritize Tel Aviv over Riyadh or Doha. This perceived favoritism sows distrust among allies who host US troops and military bases. The inability to shield installations across the Middle East paints a picture of strategic hubris masking operational limits.

Compounding this is the possibility that after years of proxy conflicts in Ukraine and ongoing commitments in Iraq, US stockpiles — particularly of precision-guided missiles and interceptors — are critically low. Experts warn that sustained operations in Iran could exhaust reserves in weeks, with no quick resupply amid industrial bottlenecks.

The initial strikes have not quelled Iranian retaliation. Instead, they've drawn in Hezbollah and scattered Gulf targets, possibly stretching US forces thin.

The rogue's wheel turns: The self-appointed guardians of order become its disruptors. The US-Israeli actions in Iran exemplify this, unleashing energy turmoil and reputational damage that reverberate far beyond the Middle East.

Short-term price spikes may subside, but longer-term scars — from ruined infrastructure to alliance fractures — will linger, evidencing the perils of capricious power. As the conflict unfolds, nations worldwide must confront the imperative for greater energy sovereignty and diversified security ties, lest they remain hostage to rogue impulses in Washington and Tel Aviv.

This is not just a regional crisis. It's a harbinger of a more volatile era, in which the US risks unraveling the fragile threads of global interdependence.

The author is an adjunct professor at Queensland University of Technology in Australia and former policy adviser to former Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd.

The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

BEIRUT -- Israeli warplanes launched a new wave of airstrikes on Beirut's southern suburbs late Thursday, hours after Israel warned all residents to evacuate the entire Dahieh area, local broadcaster al-Jadeed reported.

Earlier, the Israeli military issued an urgent warning, ordering residents across Beirut's southern suburbs to leave immediately. It marked the first time Israel has called for a full evacuation of the area.

Meanwhile, Lebanon's Health Ministry said the death toll from Israeli attacks since Monday has risen to 123, with 683 wounded as of Thursday night.

Amid the escalating tensions, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun held a phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron, briefing him on the latest security developments in Lebanon and urging him to intervene with Israel to prevent any strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs, following recent evacuation threats.

Separately, Macron also spoke with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, during which the French president expressed readiness to conduct necessary contacts and send urgent assistance to Lebanon, according to the National News Agency.

The escalation comes after Hezbollah on Monday fired missiles and drones toward Israel, saying the attacks were in retaliation for the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and for repeated Israeli attacks on Lebanon. Israel responded with massive airstrikes on Hezbollah targets and deployed ground forces into southern Lebanon.

TEHRAN -- Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has said that his country is not requesting a ceasefire with the United States and Israel, and does not see any reason to negotiate with Washington.

He made the remarks in an interview with US broadcaster NBC News aired on Thursday.

"We are not asking for a ceasefire, and we don't see any reason why we should negotiate with the United States when we negotiated with them twice, and every time, they attacked us in the middle of the negotiations," Araghchi said.

Regarding the possibility of a ground invasion by the United States against Iran, Araghchi said, "We are waiting for them because we are confident that we can confront them, and that would be a big disaster for them."

He added that Iran was fully ready for the ongoing conflict and is prepared for any other eventuality, even a ground invasion, emphasizing that the country's armed forces are ready for any scenario.

Meanwhile, Iran said Thursday that the Navy of its Islamic Revolution Guards Corps has targeted the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier with drones 340 km off the country's territorial waters in the Gulf of Oman.

Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters told state-run IRIB TV that after being hit with the Iranian drones, the aircraft carrier, along with its destroyers, quickly fled and is currently over 1,000 km away from the region.

The developments follow joint US-Israeli strikes on Tehran and several other Iranian cities starting Saturday morning, leading to the death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, some of his family members, top military commanders, and civilians. Iran responded through several waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and US assets in the region.

JERUSALEM -- Israel's military chief Eyal Zamir said in a televised address Thursday that Israeli forces are moving to the "next phase" of their campaign against Iran, in which they will intensify strikes against the Iranian government's foundations and its military capabilities.

TEHRAN -- Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) said on Thursday that the US aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln was targeted by drones of its navy, the semi-official Fars news agency reported.

ABU DHABI -- Blasts were heard in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), on Thursday evening as residents received mobile phone alerts warning of potential missile threats.

Similar alerts were issued across other emirates, including Dubai and Fujairah, by the UAE Ministry of Interior, urging residents and visitors to seek immediate shelter in the nearest secure building and to stay away from windows, doors, and open areas.

The UAE National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority said in a post on social media platform X that a missile threat was being neutralized.

LONDON -- Britain is sending four more Typhoon fighter jets to join its squadron in Qatar to strengthen defensive operations in the country and across the Middle East region, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said at a press conference on Thursday.

Starmer said Britain's Wildcat helicopters equipped with anti-drone capabilities are set to arrive in Cyprus on Friday. The country's defense secretary is currently in Cyprus to coordinate operations, and the HMS Dragon warship is being deployed to the Mediterranean.

Britain had already deployed additional military capabilities to the Middle East well before the military strikes against Iran launched by the United States and Israel, Starmer said.

According to the prime minister, Britain moved defensive assets, including fighter jets, air defense missiles, advanced radar and counter-drone systems, to Cyprus and Qatar throughout January and February.

He added that the British government is working with airlines, travel companies and foreign governments to bring back British nationals.

More than 4,000 people have returned to the United Kingdom on commercial flights from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), with seven additional flights scheduled to depart the UAE for Britain on Thursday. Meanwhile, the first charter flight from Oman departed early Thursday afternoon, and more charter flights are expected in the coming days, according to Starmer.