The UK is sending four additional Typhoon fighter jets to Qatar, according to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
Sir Keir stated that the UK's longstanding position is to seek a "negotiated settlement with Iran" where they give up their nuclear ambitions, and that efforts should be made to "de-escalate" the conflict, as reported by the BBC.
The Prime Minister made these comments at a Downing Street news conference, where he also acknowledged that people are "worried sick about their family and friends who are caught up in this".
Police and Military Response
Defence sources said 400 additional UK personnel have been sent to support air defence activities across the UK's bases in Cyprus over the past weeks.
Two Wildcat helicopters with anti-drone capabilities will also arrive in Cyprus on Friday, along with the British warship HMS Dragon, which will sail to Cyprus within the next couple of weeks.
US-UK Relations
US President Donald Trump has criticized Sir Keir for refusing to allow the use of UK bases in the initial strikes on Iran, saying the UK-US relationship is "not what it was".
Sir Keir insisted that the special relationship between the US and the UK had not been fractured, stating that the two countries are sharing intelligence on a 24/7 basis.
Repatriation Efforts
Sir Keir announced that the first government-chartered flight for Britons stranded in the Middle East has taken off from Oman, after it was delayed due to technical issues.
More than 4,000 Britons have already made it home from the region, with thousands still stuck in the Middle East, according to the Prime Minister.
