Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has condemned Iran's 'reckless' drone attack on a Kuwaiti oil refinery, which caused fires at the facility. In a phone call with Kuwait's Crown Prince, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, Starmer expressed solidarity with Kuwait and reaffirmed the UK's commitment to protecting Gulf allies.
Downing Street confirmed that the two leaders discussed the deployment of the UK's Rapid Sentry air defence system to Kuwait, which will safeguard both Kuwaiti and British personnel and interests in the region. The system arrived earlier this week, as announced by Defence Secretary John Healey on Tuesday.
The attack, which state news agency KUNA said caused fires in 'a number of operational units,' resulted in no injuries. Emergency teams and environmental experts were dispatched to assess air quality following the strikes.
The conversation also covered the ongoing disruption to global shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Starmer and the Crown Prince welcomed a meeting convened by Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper on a plan to reopen the strait, which has been a focus of international concern. Cooper has accused Iran of attempting to hold the global economy hostage by blocking the vital shipping route.
The UK and its allies are considering sanctions against Iran if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, as tensions in the region continue to escalate amid the US and Israel's war on Iran.
