Starmer hits out at Israel over Lebanon strikes following Iran war ceasefire
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has described Israeli attacks on Lebanon as “wrong” and insisted they “must stop” because the fragile US-Iran ceasefire agreement faces immediate danger.
His comments, made during a diplomatic visit to Gulf states, highlight the strain on a two-week ceasefire brokered by US President Donald Trump.
The bombing of Beirut risks the deal unraveling after Mr Trump’s dire warning that “an entire civilization will die tonight”; This was language that Sir Keir personally vowed he would “never use”.
The Prime Minister also confirmed that Britain was “monitoring” the use of its bases by Washington and ensuring they were deployed only for collective self-defence and not for offensive operations against Iran.
Sir Keir arrived in Bahrain on Thursday as part of a regional tour that also includes Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Israeli attacks on the Hezbollah militant group made Wednesday the deadliest day since fighting began in Lebanon, amid disagreements over whether the country should be included in a ceasefire.
In response to Israeli attacks, Tehran once again closed the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil shipping channel.
Despite rising tensions, the Prime Minister admitted it was “hard to tell” whether the attacks amounted to a violation of the US-Iran ceasefire.
Sir Keir told ITV: “Not all of us have access to the full details of the ceasefire.” Talking Politics Podcast in Bahrain.
“But look, let me be really clear about this: they are wrong.”
When asked whether Israel was “wrong by attacking Lebanon now”, the Prime Minister replied: “Yes, this should not happen.”
“This must end – that is my strong view – and so the question is not a technical one about whether this is a breach of the agreement.
“The question is actually a matter of principles from my perspective, and in a way my argument is that this should be included in the ceasefire, and that’s an important part of the overall approach.”
