‘RECKLESS & DANGEROUS’ Iran’s 350 missile strike was act of a ‘despotic regime’ & we’re working with allies to avoid more bloodshed, PM says
RISHI Sunak has today labelled Iran's 350 missile strike an act of a "despotic regime".
The Prime Minister was speaking in the House of Commons this afternoon and said he's working with allies to avoid more bloodshed in the Middle East.
He told the house: "With this attack Iran has once again shown its true colours.
"They are intent on sowing chaos in their own backyard, on further destabilising the Middle East.
"Our aim is to support stability and security because it is right for the region and because although the Middle East is thousands of miles away, it has a direct effect on our security and prosperity at home.
"So we're working urgently with our allies to de-escalate the situation and prevent further bloodshed."We want to see calmer heads prevail and we're directing all our diplomatic efforts to that end."
Mr Sunak said his fellow G7 leaders are "united in our condemnation of this attack" by Iran.
He added to MPs: "We discussed further potential diplomatic measures which we'll be working together to co-ordinate in the coming days.
"I will also shortly be speaking to Prime Minister Netanyahu to express our solidarity with Israel in the face of this attack and to discuss how we can prevent further escalation."All sides must show restraint."
The PM yesterday confirmed an RAF plane shot down several Iranian attack drones.
The PM said the impact on regional stability had Iran's plot succeeded would be "hard to overstate".
Warplanes stationed in Iraq and Syria roared into action early Sunday morning - intercepting the onslaught unleashed by Tehran.
Israel said Iran sent 170 drones, more than 30 cruise missiles and at least 120 ballistic missiles.
The Prime Minister said: "Last night, Iran launched a barrage of missiles and attack drones across the Middle East towards Israel.
"This was a dangerous and unnecessary escalation, which I've condemned in the strongest terms."
The PM went on: "Thanks to an international coordinated effort which the United Kingdom participated in, almost all of these missiles were intercepted saving lives not just in Israel, but in neighbouring countries like Jordan as well."
He hailed the RAF heroes, saying: "We pay tribute to the bravery and the professionalism of our pilots flying into the face of danger to protect civilians."
And he added: “If (the attack was) successful the fallout for regional stability would be hard to overstate."
The PM also explained: "The RAF sent additional planes to the region as part of our existing operations to counter Daesh in Iraq and Syria.
"I can confirm that our planes did shoot down a number of Iranian attack drones."
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) had already confirmed several RAF jets and air refuelling tankers had been sent to the region to "bolster Operation Shader" - the UK's existing counter-Islamic State operation in Iraq and Syria.
But it was not clear if any drones had been successfully shot down as Cabinet Minister Victoria Atkins earlier today said she was not in a position to "confirm or deny it".
Mr Sunak will join US President Joe Biden on a call with G7 leaders this afternoon amid fears of further escalation in the event of a possible Israeli counter-strike.
The assault was launched in response to a strike widely blamed on Israel on an Iranian consular building in Syria earlier this month which killed two Iranian generals.
It marks the first time a direct military assault has been launched by Tehran on Israel despite enmity dating back to the country’s 1979 Islamic Revolution.Health Secretary Ms Atkins said the UK Government was putting “all of our efforts” into deescalation in the Middle East.
She told Sky News: "All of our efforts at the moment are on de-escalating this. We do not want a miscalculation or an escalation in events because we know that that will take its toll.”
How Israel could launch ‘revenge’ strike on Iran
By IONA CLEAVE & DAVID ROSS
ISRAEL's war cabinet has drawn up plans for a revenge attack after Iran's unprecedented missile and drone blitz - but world leaders fear the outbreak of an "uncontrollable war".
From a fighter jet blitz on Tehran's nuclear facilities to a submarine strike or large-scale cyberattacks - there are five major ways Israel may choose to hit back at its enemy.
On Saturday night, Iran attacked Israel with a wave of hundreds of ballistic and cruise missiles and drones - the first ever direct attack by Tehran on its enemy.
Israel's Iron Dome defence system and its allies warplanes - including the UK's RAF Typhoons - shot down 99 per cent of the projectiles.
The aerial attack was a major departure from what has been a long-running shadow war between the two states and sparked the grim possibility of an all-our war across the region.
Israel has vowed a "significant response" in revenge for the 110 ballistic missiles, 36 cruise missiles and 185 attack drones - which Jerusalem saw as a "declaration of war".
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu called off an immediate retaliation after US President Joe Biden pushed for restraint and warned him to "think carefully" about his next move.
But Israel states it reserves the right to strike Iran "at a manner and time" of its own choosing and told the UN that Iran has "crossed every red line" in its attack.
Jonathan Conicus, senior fellow at the The Foundation for Defense of Democracies and former IDF officer, said this is the "opening act" of Israeli-Iran relations.
He told The Sun: "Iran for the first time stepped out of the convenience and protection of the shadows, and decided to take on Israel directly, and by doing so, of course, Iran presents itself as a target as well.
"How will Israel retaliate? And how will Israel carry a message to the Iranians that they have definitely crossed one bridge too far?"
As the world braces for Israel's response, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres told an emergency Security Council meeting on Sunday: "The Middle East is on the brink.
"The people of the region are confronting a real danger of a devastating full-scale conflict. Now is the time to defuse and de-escalate."
PM Rishi Sunak condemned Iran’s attack as “reckless” and called for calm, while a joint statement from G7 yesterday also urged caution, fearing an "uncontrollable" war in the region.
But the question on everyone's lips is how will Israel choose to respond.
The IDF announced last night it had approved "both offensive and defensive actions" - but did not reveal further detail.
Netanyahu is due to reconvene its war cabinet today, which largely want a response to Iran's attack - but are said to be split on the scale and timing of it
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