British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said he is "not prepared" for the UK to join a war without a clear legal basis and a detailed plan, after facing questions over why Britain has not launched offensive strikes against Iran.
"What I was not prepared to do on Saturday was for the UK to join a war unless I was satisfied there was a lawful basis and a viable, thought-through plan. That remains my position," Starmer said during Prime Minister's Questions Time.
"We need to act, therefore, with clarity, with purpose, and with a cool head," Starmer said.
He confirmed that the government will charter flights to evacuate British nationals from the Middle East.
The first charter flight "is expected to leave Oman later today, and two more will come in the coming days," he said.
Starmer added that more charter flights would be laid on in the next few days and that "British Airways is now laying on an extra flight from Oman."
He also confirmed that on Wednesday, "more than a thousand British nationals arrived back in the UK on commercial flights from the UAE. A further eight flights are due to leave the UAE for the UK today."
He said the UK has been working closely with the US to strengthen its military posture in the region, including the pre-deployment of radar systems, ground-based air defense, counter-drone systems, and F-35 jets.
He added that helicopters equipped with anti-drone capabilities would be deployed to the Greek Cypriot Administration this week and that the HMS Dragon warship would be sent to the Mediterranean.
