Downing Street said Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer spoke with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on 6 March following Iranian strikes on the Kingdom and its partners. The UK is dispatching additional fighter jets, helicopters and a destroyer to the region and stands ready to support Saudi Arabia’s defence if required; both leaders agreed to deepen intelligence cooperation and to remain in close contact over the coming days. (gov.uk)
The call followed measures already under way. On 3 March the Ministry of Defence confirmed the deployment of HMS Dragon, a Type 45 air‑defence destroyer, and two Wildcat helicopters armed with Martlet missiles to the Eastern Mediterranean to strengthen regional air defence; the MoD also reported UK forces had shot down multiple drones across the region in recent days. (gov.uk)
At the UN Security Council on 28 February, the UK condemned Iranian strikes across the region, citing attacks on a Dubai hotel, Kuwait’s civilian airport and civilian targets in Bahrain, and confirmed that British forces were active in coordinated defensive operations to protect partners and civilians. (gov.uk)
European coordination has been explicit. In a 1 March statement, the leaders of the UK, France and Germany described Iran’s missile attacks as indiscriminate and disproportionate, and said they would work with the United States and regional allies, potentially enabling necessary and proportionate defensive action against launch capabilities. (gov.uk)
Energy resilience featured in the Starmer–MBS discussion. No.10 said the Crown Prince outlined steps Saudi Arabia had taken to support market stability by boosting global oil supply. Separately, OPEC+ producers agreed to increase output by 206,000 barrels per day from April, resuming the gradual unwinding of earlier voluntary cuts. (gov.uk)
Policy Wire analysis: stepped‑up intelligence cooperation is likely to tighten early‑warning timelines, bolster air‑ and missile‑defence coordination, and strengthen maritime domain awareness with Gulf partners. In practice this improves the speed and precision of threat‑data sharing with civilian authorities and operators of critical infrastructure, including energy and aviation hubs.
The consular track continues in parallel. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office has asked British nationals in Bahrain, Israel, Kuwait, Lebanon, Palestine, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates to register their presence for direct updates, and the government has begun limited repatriation flights from Oman prioritising the most vulnerable. (gov.uk)
For UK businesses, the short‑term picture is elevated air and maritime security risk across parts of the Gulf and Eastern Mediterranean, alongside visible UK and allied air‑defence postures. Firms with exposure to Gulf aviation, shipping and energy supply chains should maintain contingency plans for temporary route changes and airport restrictions while monitoring FCDO travel advice.
Downing Street framed the call as part of continuing high‑level engagement and said the leaders would remain in close contact. Energy markets will also watch the next OPEC+ review, scheduled for 5 April, for any further supply signals amid ongoing regional risks. (gov.uk)