British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has discussed military cooperation with U.S. President Donald Trump regarding the Middle East, following a period of strained relations over the UK’s initial stance on military actions against Iran.
Trump Criticizes Starmer’s Initial Response
Trump has publicly rebuked Starmer on several occasions since their last conversation over a week ago, criticizing the prime minister’s initial decision to not allow the U.S. military to use British bases for attacks against Iran. Trump reportedly described Starmer as “not Winston Churchill.”
Starmer has since granted permission for “defensive” actions against Iranian missile sites from UK bases, after Iran began attacking countries throughout the region. His office in No. 10 Downing Street stated that the two leaders discussed the military cooperation between the UK and US through the use of bases “in support of the collective self-defence of partners in the region.”
Starmer also expressed his “heartfelt condolences” following the deaths of seven U.S. soldiers.
Escalating Conflict in the Middle East
The war in the Middle East continues to escalate, with Israel striking southern Lebanon, Beirut, and an oil storage facility in Tehran. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised “many surprises” for the next phase of the conflict.
Iran also targeted a desalination plant in Bahrain. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that a U.S. airstrike damaged an Iranian desalination plant on Qeshm Island, claiming the U.S. “set this precedent, not Iran.” Such infrastructure is critical for drinking water supplies in the Gulf region.
An Israeli attack on an oil storage facility in Tehran resulted in pillars of fire visible in Associated Press video. It marks the first time a civil industrial facility has been targeted in the conflict.
American Casualties Mount
The U.S. military has announced that an American service member died of injuries sustained during an Iranian attack on troops stationed in Saudi Arabia. This brings the total number of American service members killed in the conflict to seven.
The service member died Saturday from injuries sustained during a March 1 Iranian attack on Saudi Arabia. All seven American deaths in the conflict have been Army soldiers. The first six were Army reservists killed in a March 1 attack on a command centre in Kuwait.
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