UK draws up evacuation plans for 300,000 British nationals in the Middle East
Officials are working to evacuate the more than 300,000 British nationals in the Gulf amid US and Israel strikes against Iran.
British nationals have been asked to tell the Foreign Office if they are in Bahrain, Israel, Kuwait, the Palestinian territories, Qatar or the United Arab Emirates.
At least 94,000 people as of yesterday have registered, of them 50,000 in the UAE, with many being stranded holiday-makers or travellers.
Are you a UK national in the Middle East? Email us at josh.milton@metro.co.uk
Luxury hotels, Dubai’s luxury man-made archipelago Palm Jumeirah and its main airport have been damaged as intercepted missile scraps spark fires.
UK travel advice for the UAE was updated on Saturday, warning travellers against ‘all but essential travel’.
Some flights to and from Dubai, Doha and other major travel hubs in the Middle East have been cancelled, raising fears of an airspace shutdown.
Speaking on Sky News this morning, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said most local advice is to shelter-in-place.
She added: ‘We have to recognise the scale of this as well and also the fact that there are strikes still underway, Iranian strikes on those Gulf countries.
Gulf countries who, frankly, were not involved in any strikes on Iran and who are now being targeted.’
Sir Keir Starmer said yesterday evening: ‘I know this is a deeply worrying time. And we will continue to do all we can to support you.’
How to register your presence with the Foreign Office if you're in the Middle East
By registering, the Foreign Office says it will send ‘important updates to our travel advice’. Only UK passport-holders can sign up.
You can register your presence using the following links:
Israel:
https://www.register.service.csd.fcdo.gov.uk/israel-20260228/tell-the-uk-government-youre-in-israel
Kuwait: https://www.register.service.csd.fcdo.gov.uk/kuwait-20260227/tell-the-uk-government-youre-in-kuwait
Qatar: https://www.register.service.csd.fcdo.gov.uk/qatar-20260228/tell-the-uk-government-youre-in-qatar
The evacuation plans come after US-Israeli attacks on Iran killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the nation’s leader for almost 37 years, on Saturday.
US President Donald Trump has said heavy and deadly bombing would continue to pound Iran this week, with 2,000 targets already struck.
Among the casualties are at least 115 people, most children, killed when bombs struck an Iranian school and three US soldiers at a base in Kuwait.
He added that the goal was to tear apart the nuclear programme of Iran, which does not have any nukes but does have the fuel needed for them.
Israel launched attacks overnight on Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group, shattering a fragile truce.
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