Britain is deploying several air defense systems in the Gulf, especially in Bahrain, to protect its allies from Iranian attacks, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Monday, according to AFP, taken by Agerpres.
“We are working with the (British defense) industry to distribute air defense missiles to our partners in the Gulf, we are rapidly deploying short-range air defense systems in Bahrain,” the prime minister told a parliamentary committee, adding that the issue had emerged as an emergency this weekend.
“We proceed in the same way with Kuwait and Saudi Arabia,” he said.
Since the beginning of the conflict in the Middle East, triggered on February 28 by the US-Israeli attacks on Iran, which launched significant retaliation against other countries in the region, London has sent air assets to support its allies.
Britain has also authorized the United States to use two of its air bases for “defensive” operations against Iran, operations extended in recent days to strikes against Iranian sites targeting the Strait of Hormuz.
Last week, Defense Secretary Luke Pollard brought together British arms companies and representatives of the Gulf states to examine how these companies can help strengthen support for these states, the Ministry of Defense later said.
In parallel, the government in London announced its intention to purchase several short-range LLM missiles, manufactured by the Thales group, for British air defense.
