Defence Secretary John Healey warned Tehran is finishing up “more and more indiscriminate assaults” – together with on civilian targets.
A plume of smoke rises following reported explosions in Tehran on March 1, 2026. Ayatollah Ali Khame (Picture: AFP through Getty Pictures)
Britain is “not being ruled” after Labour repeatedly refused to say whether or not they supported American and Israeli airstrikes on Iran.
Defence Secretary John Healey warned Tehran is finishing up “more and more indiscriminate assaults” – together with on civilian targets.
However he repeatedly refused to say whether or not the American and Israeli strikes on Iran – which killed Supreme Chief Ali Khamenei – had been authorized or whether or not the UK even supported them.
Requested if Labour was on “the facet of these two international locations who’ve killed Iran’s Supreme Chief”, Mr Healey stated: “Folks watching will need to know now, right this moment, that Britain is on prime of what’s obligatory, to do what we will to maintain them secure, to bolster regional stability, stop additional escalation.”
Livid Tory chief Kemi Badenoch blasted: “Britain’s Defence Secretary can’t inform us if our authorities helps the strikes on Iran. The Labour authorities has already misplaced all help and all credibility. It now can’t reply easy questions. We aren’t being ruled.”
Former Safety Minister Tom Tugendhat stated: “The issue with John Healey’s silence is that he isn’t refusing to share inner authorities discussions, he is refusing to say who governs Britain.
“Is it the Prime Minister within the curiosity of the British folks taking actions to maintain us secure? Or Is it a authorized code interpreted by an unelected priestly class utilized solely to the UK and that leaves us uncovered and weak?”
British plane have been deployed on defensive operations, flying from Cyprus and Qatar and “taking down” drones and missiles “menacing” UK bases and allies, Mr Healey added.
Explosions had been heard in a number of Gulf states as Iran vowed to hold out its “most intense operation” ever in retaliation for the killing of Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The 86-year-old Mr Khamenei had dominated Iran for nearly 37 years when he was killed within the US-Israeli assault on Saturday morning, throwing the way forward for his nation into doubt.
The Israeli army stated it had carried out additional air strikes within the Iranian capital to “set up aerial superiority and pave the trail to Tehran”.
Mr Healey warned on Sunday that Iranian retaliation might put UK personnel and allies in danger.
He stated: “Once I discuss more and more indiscriminate assaults I do know folks at house might be apprehensive that, not simply army targets had been hit yesterday but in addition we’ve seen inns in Dubai and Bahrain, we’ve seen Kuwait civilian airport; however in that Bahrain army base that was hit by missiles and drones yesterday we had 300 British personnel, some inside a number of hundred yards of the strike.
“In Cyprus we had two ballistic missiles fired within the course of Cyprus; now we’re fairly positive they weren’t focused at Cyprus however however it demonstrates how our bases, our personnel, army and civilians in the meanwhile are in danger with a regime that’s more and more indiscriminate, widespread and uncontrolled within the assaults it’s mounting.
“A number of weeks in the past, we strengthened Britain’s defences within the area, extra radars, planes and weapon techniques.
“We had been flying British planes within the air all through yesterday and in a single day, that’s defending our regional allies.
“It’s reinforcing that safety and it’s making an attempt to guard initially our British bases and our British personnel which is my principal precedence as British Defence Secretary.”
The Authorities, together with France and Germany, has condemned Iran’s retaliation and urged Tehran to return to the negotiating desk.
However different allies have gone additional, with each Canada and Australia saying they supported the US “appearing to stop Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon” and persevering with to threaten “worldwide peace and safety”.
The Authorities’s reluctance to say whether or not it backed the strikes has drawn criticism from events to each its left and proper.
Conservative shadow international secretary Dame Priti Patel stated the Authorities ought to have been “extra proactive” in supporting the strikes.
She stated: “Why had been a few of our bases not used? And was the British Authorities requested about use of our army bases within the defensive strikes that happened?”
And Mr Healey’s responses will spark contemporary fears over Labour’s weak point on the worldwide stage.
BBC presenter Laura Kuenssberg requested Mr Healey: “Do you consider this motion was inside worldwide regulation?”
Mr Healey responded: “We performed no half within the strikes, we simply didn’t take part and it’s for the US to set out the authorized foundation of the motion that it took.”
Urgent the defence on whether or not Labour supported the army strikes, the BBC host requested: “Different necessary allies of the UK have, so Canada for instance, Australia for instance, shut allies of yours and of this nation’s, have each stated explicitly that they do again what America and Israel have executed and also you’re taking a special place.”
Mr Healey stated: “I’m right here as British Defence Secretary, our first focus and all our motion is defensive.
“It’s inside worldwide regulation, it’s coordinated with regional allies to guarantee that we will reinforce and shield, not simply our UK personnel and folks, however UK allies, bases and companions within the area, and we share that long run intention.
“We share that dedication that Iran ought to by no means have a nuclear weapon and we share the long run.”
Ms Kuenssberg hit again: ”That’s a special reply to the query of whether or not or not you again these dramatic, some would say audacious and brave, some would say reckless and harmful actions by America and Israel. Do you assume it was reckless or do you assume it was proper?”
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She added: “Is Britain on the facet of these two international locations who’ve killed Iran’s supreme chief?”
Mr Healey stated: “Folks watching will need to know now, right this moment, that Britain is on prime of what’s obligatory, to do what we will to maintain them secure, to bolster regional stability, stop additional escalation, and that’s my job and that’s my precedence as Defence Secretary of the UK.”
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