Prime Minister Keir Starmer has condemned Iran's 'reckless' drone attack on a Kuwaiti oil refinery, which caused fires but no casualties. In a call with Kuwait's Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, Starmer expressed solidarity and discussed deploying the UK's Rapid Sentry air defence system to protect Kuwaiti and British personnel.
The attack comes amid escalating US and Israeli operations against Iran, with Gulf states facing repeated strikes. A Downing Street readout confirmed the PM's condemnation and reiterated UK support for Kuwait and Gulf allies, while emphasising the need to avoid wider conflict.
Defence Secretary John Healey announced on Tuesday that the Rapid Sentry system had arrived in Kuwait. State news agency KUNA reported fires in several operational units but no injuries, with emergency teams and environmental experts deployed to assess air quality.
The incident follows Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper's condemnation of Iran's 'recklessness' and accusations of holding the global economy hostage in the Strait of Hormuz. On Thursday, she held talks with dozens of nations demanding the immediate reopening of the vital shipping route, with discussions on potential sanctions against Iran if the strait remains closed.
