Middle East Ablaze, Britain Ready to Support Saudi Arabia's Defence

The British government says it is ready to support Saudi Arabia’s defence amid the escalating Middle East war. Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke in a telephone call with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) on Friday, local time. The conflict, which began with a US-Israel attack on Iran that killed Iran’s supreme leader, has entered its seventh day and involves Gulf states, causing disruption in energy and transport sectors. Gulf states have been attacked, with Saudi Arabia reporting it intercepted a cruise missile and three drones on Friday. Starmer told MBS that ‘Britain is ready to back the Kingdom’s defence if required,’ according to a spokesperson for the Prime Minister cited by AFP on Saturday, 7 March 2026. The leaders also discussed boosting intelligence cooperation to support defensive operations and protect civilians. Earlier, Britain dispatched four Typhoon fighter jets to Qatar to bolster ‘defensive operations’. Britain will also deploy HMS Dragon, a missile-defence destroyer, though it is expected to sail next week. The British air base in Cyprus was attacked by an Iranian-made drone on Monday. According to the Cypriot government, the drone was likely launched from Lebanon by Iran-backed Hezbollah. Starmer has faced criticism from domestic opposition for slow response to the Middle East war. Meanwhile, the United States says it is on track to take control of Iran’s airspace, with White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt saying Washington expects the objectives to be achieved in four to six weeks. Speaking to reporters at the White House, Leavitt also said Washington is considering potential candidates to lead Iran. This came a day after President Donald Trump told Reuters in an interview that the United States should be involved in choosing Iran’s next leader. ‘I know there are several people being considered by our intelligence agencies and the US government, but I will not discuss further,’ Leavitt said, as reported by Al Arabiya and Reuters on Saturday, 7 March 2026. Earlier on 6 March, Trump said there would be no deal with Iran unless ‘unconditional surrender’. ‘What the President means is that when he, as Commander-in-Chief of the US Armed Forces, determines that Iran no longer poses a threat to the United States, and the objective of Operation Epic Fury has been fully achieved, then Iran will essentially be in a position of surrender, regardless of whether they say it themselves or not,’ Leavitt added.