United States President Donald Trump sharply criticised United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer over the lack of UK support for the US-Israeli strikes on Iran, claiming that the European country is now mulling over sending aircraft carriers to West Asia.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump asserted that the US doesn’t need people to join wars after it has already won them.
He said, “The United Kingdom, our once Great Ally, maybe the Greatest of them all, is finally giving serious thought to sending two aircraft carriers to the Middle East. That’s OK, Prime Minister Starmer, we don’t need them any longer – But we will remember. We don’t need people that join Wars after we’ve already won!”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Wednesday invoked the UK’s special friendship in action to respond to the latest round of criticism from US President Donald Trump. Starmer said that hanging on to Trump’s words was not a sign of the relationship in action.
Addressing the UK Parliament, Starmer said, “American planes are operating out of British bases. That is the special relationship in action. British jets are shooting down drones and missiles to protect American lives in the Middle East on our joint bases. That is the special relationship in action. Sharing intelligence every day to keep our people safe. That is the special relationship in action. Hanging on to President Trump’s latest words is not the special relationship in action.”
Keir Starmer further justified his action not to join the strike on Iran, saying he had not seen a lawful basis for action and that remained his position.
In a post on X, the UK Ministry of Defence shared the operation updates of March 7, where it mentioned that the US has started using British bases for specific defensive operations, “to prevent Iran firing missiles into the region, which is putting British lives at risk”.
Earlier on Tuesday, Donald Trump described the UK’s stance on Iran as “very, very uncooperative.” Trump criticised Keir Starmer for “ruining relationships”, saying he was no “Winston Churchill”.
Speaking to reporters at the Oval Office, Trump said he was “not happy” with what he described as a lack of cooperation from London during the build-up to the strikes on Tehran.
Trump’s latest tirade comes amid several developments taking place in West Asia and the Gulf.
The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) shared on Sunday that several fuel storage complexes belonging to the IRGC in Tehran were struck by the Israeli Air Force.
IDF earlier shared that it struck 2 main ballistic missile production sites in Parchin and Shahrud. As per the IDF, the targets struck included factories producing explosive materials for ballistic missile warheads, complexes producing unique raw materials for missile engines, a missile engine mixing and casting facility and a complex used for the research, development, assembly, and production of advanced cruise missiles.
The developing security situation in West Asia has seen spillover into the Gulf neighbourhood too.
On Saturday, Dubai Media Office said that authorities had confirmed the death of a Pakistani driver in the Al Barsha area after debris from an aerial interception fell on a vehicle. It also shared that authorities had confirmed a minor incident on the facade of a tower in Dubai Marina, with no injuries reported.
Meanwhile, the IRNA claimed on Sunday, citing the IRGC, that a refinery was hit in Haifa. It said in a post on X, “IRGC: The Haifa refinery was struck by Kheibarshekan missiles.”
Al Jazeera Breaking reported that Hezbollah said it launched missiles at Haifa naval base and that it targeted Kiryat Shmona with rocket fire.
These developments come in the wake of escalating tensions after a joint US-Israel military strike on February 28 on Iranian territory resulted in the death of its Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other senior figures, prompting a fierce response from Tehran.
In response, Iran retaliated by launching ballistic missiles and drones at US assets and allies across the region, including Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan, further widening the conflict in West Asia and heightening risks for civilians and expatriates alike.
