Sir Keir Starmer has urged Donald Trump to step back from the brink of a direct strike on Iran, warning against any action that would “ramp up the situation”.
The prime minister said “de-escalation” was the priority, in a call for a diplomatic solution to be found after the US president suggested he may join Israel’s bombing campaign.
But there were no signs of the Middle East crisis easing on Thursday, after an Iranian missile strike hit a hospital in southern Israel and residential buildings near Tel Aviv. The war of words has also intensified, with defence minister Israel Katz branding Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei “the modern-day Hitler” following the attacks that injured at least 240 people, according to local authorities.
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Sir Keir said: “The situation in relation to Israel-Iran is obviously fast moving and in those circumstances, it’s really important to cling on to the key principles here.
“Obviously all of us, UK included, are very concerned about the nuclear programme that Iran is developing, we’ve long been concerned about that.
“Also, completely recognise Israel’s right to self-defence, but the principle is that we need to de-escalate this.
“There’s a real risk of escalation here that will impact the region, possibly beyond the region, akin to Gaza, and obviously it’s already having an impact on the economy.
“So I’ve been absolutely clear we need to de-escalate this. Yes, the nuclear issue has to be dealt with, but it’s better dealt with by way of negotiations than by way of conflict.”
Mr Trump continues to keep his cards close to his chest over whether he will actually allow US involvement in Israel’s campaign. On Thursday he took aim at the Wall Street Journal after it reported the president had privately approved attack plans, pending his final order.
And on Wednesday, after Ayatollah Khamenei rejected demands for unconditional surrender, the US president said: “I may do it. I may not do it….. The next week is going to be very big.”
A Washington-based Iranian human rights group said at least 639 people, including 263 civilians, have been killed in Iran and more than 1,300 wounded since Israel launched its attacks on Friday. In retaliation, Iran has fired hundreds of missiles and drones, killing at least 24 people in Israel and wounding hundreds.
Iran used a missile with multiple warheads in its latest attack, an Israeli military official told the Associated Press. Such missiles can pose a more difficult challenge for air defence systems, like Israel’s Iron Dome, because they have to track more than one warhead.
More than 70 of the victims were injured when the Soroka Medical Center in the southern city of Beersheba was hit. Soroka has over 1,000 beds and provides services to around 1 million residents of Israel’s south.
