The Foreign Office has warned there's a 'heightened risk' of regional tension in Cyprus. [Continue Reading]
The geopolitical landscape of the Middle East has dramatically shifted following the reported killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The incident ignited a series of military operations led by the United States and Israel against Iranian assets, aiming not only to destabilize Iran's government but also to prevent its missile and nuclear capabilities. US President Donald Trump, in a public address, called on Iranians to reclaim their nation, underscoring ambitious objectives accompanying military efforts. The killing of Khamenei has left Iranian officials scrambling to manage repercussions. Reports indicate that many US intelligence officials harbor doubts regarding the likelihood... [Continue Reading]
Rachel Reeves’ upcoming spring forecast has not led to slowdown, as property tax rumours did in NovemberBusiness live – latest updatesUK politics live – latest updatesHouse prices in the UK increased in February as Rachel Reeves avoided a repeat of the pre-budget “negative speculation” that depressed the market, as she prepares to present the spring forecast on Tuesday.The average price of a home rose to £273,176 last month, up by 0.3% from the month before, Nationwide said. It matched January’s monthly increase, and was above analysts’ forecasts of a 0.2% gain. The annual growth rate remained steady at 1%, the... [Continue Reading]
Foreign secretary confirms strike on Akrotiri base but says it ‘simply not true’ the UK is being dragged into an Iraq-style conflict‘Simply not true’ UK is being dragged into Iraq-style conflict, says foreign secretaryShadow defence secretary James Cartlidge went on Sky News to criticise Keir Starmer and his handling of the conflict.“I’ve been very clear for weeks that if we were in government and the US had asked for our permission, we would have given them permission…but what they got with the prime minister as we saw last summer with the other bombing of nuclear facilities is the worst of... [Continue Reading]
A day after Iranian supreme leader's killing was confirmed, attacks are reported in Dubai, Cyprus and across the region. [Continue Reading]
Yvette Cooper says plans under consideration to evacuate about 300,000 Britons from Middle East amid Iran warUS-Israel war on Iran – live updatesIt is “simply not true” that the UK is being dragged into another Iraq-style conflict in the Middle East, Yvette Cooper has said, after an RAF base in Cyprus was struck by an Iranian drone.The attack was part of a barrage of strikes by Tehran around the Middle East after a US-Israeli attack on Saturday that killed the country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The UK foreign secretary confirmed ministers were considering possible plans to evacuate about 300,000... [Continue Reading]
The attack marks the first strike on a British military base in Cyprus since 1986, escalating regional tensions. [Continue Reading]
A recent drone strike at the RAF Akrotiri base in Cyprus has escalated the already heightened tensions between Western powers and Iranian forces in the Middle East. The attack occurred around midnight local time, or 22:00 GMT, just hours after the UK government confirmed that the US would be allowed to use British military bases for potential defensive operations against Iranian missile sites. Fortunately, there were no reported casualties from the incident, though initial assessments indicated only minimal damage to the base. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) released a statement confirming the attack and affirmed that investigations are underway to... [Continue Reading]
Follow live developments as conflict continues in the Middle East with air strikes heard across multiple countries. [Continue Reading]
In today’s newsletter: A region already strained by years of proxy conflict is now confronting its most volatile moment in decades, as the death of Iran’s supreme leader could drag us into a rapidly widening crisis, with no clear path to de‑escalationGood morning. Over the weekend the US and Israel launched a series of attacks on Iran that resulted in the assassination of Tehran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei – a move that dramatically raised the stakes in their long-running conflict.The assassination of a serving supreme leader is an extraordinary act – one that signals not containment, but confrontation. Retaliatory... [Continue Reading]
The ongoing conflict in the Middle East has reached a critical juncture following the death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei due to US-Israeli airstrikes. These strikes were aimed at destabilizing Iran's political regime. In the wake of these attacks, Iranian cities have faced significant bombardments, and retaliatory missile strikes from Tehran have targeted locations in Israel, further escalating tensions across the region. Reports have emerged of bombings resulting in hundreds of civilian casualties, with Iran’s UN ambassador claiming that airstrikes specifically targeted civilian neighborhoods. In a related development, the UK’s RAF Akrotiri airbase in Cyprus experienced a suspected... [Continue Reading]
The suspected drone strike came shortly after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the UK would help the US in the war against Iran. [Continue Reading]
Officials believe drone was launched before PM agreed to let US use British military bases to attack Iran missile sitesUS-Israel war on Iran – live updatesA one-way attack drone has struck the UK’s RAF Akrotiri base in Cyprus, prompting a partial evacuation of the base.Officials believe the drone, which hit at about midnight local time, was launched before Keir Starmer announced the UK would allow the US to use its airbases to bomb Iranian missile sites, but it had not yet been publicly determined from where the drone was launched. Continue reading... [Continue Reading]
A British RAF base in Cyprus, known as RAF Akrotiri, was targeted by a suspected drone strike recently, as announced by the UK's Ministry of Defence (MoD). The attack occurred around midnight local time, approximately 22:00 GMT. Fortunately, there were no reported casualties from the incident. The MoD confirmed that their force protection in the region remains at the highest level and that the base has activated its defensive measures in response to the strike. The drone strike comes shortly after UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer declared that the UK would permit the United States to utilize British military... [Continue Reading]
No casualties were reported and the base sustained "minimal damage", the Ministry of Defence said. [Continue Reading]
Within hours of the prime minister’s statement, the UK’s Akrotiri air force base in Cyprus was reportedly hit by a droneThe UK has agreed to let the US use British military bases to attack Iranian missile sites, Keir Starmer has said.The UK has so far not been involved in the US-Israeli strikes on Iran, but in a recorded statement on Sunday evening, the prime minister said that Iran’s approach was becoming more reckless and putting British lives at risk, leading to the decision to allow the US to use two of its military bases. Continue reading... [Continue Reading]
PM says British planes ‘in the sky today’ to protect allies in Middle East from retaliatory strikes by TehranUS-Israeli attack on Iran – live updatesUS and Israel strikes on Iran: what we know so farKeir Starmer said RAF fighter jets were flying “in the sky today” to defend allies in the Middle East against Iranian retaliation after the US and Israel launched a bombing campaign aimed at regime change in Tehran.The UK did not participate in the first waves of strikes against Iran on Saturday and has no immediate intention of doing so, but fighters were running defensive operations from... [Continue Reading]