UK issues unusual 'rising tensions' warning as US orders diplomatic evacuations
The Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), a British maritime security agency, has taken measures following Donald Trump's move to issue evacuation orders for non-essential personnel
The UK has issued an "unusual warning" to its commercial ships in the Middle East amid "rising tensions".
The Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) fears "an escalation of military activity" is on the cards across the region, and believs security may be at risk. It says vessels must use the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman and Straits of Hormuz, all of which pass Iran, with caution for the forseeable future.
Iran publicly threatened to attack US military bases in the Middle East if they were attacked first. Donald Trump added fuel to the fire yesterday, crassly stating the country will never have a nuclear weapon whether a deal is reached or not.
'UKMTO has been made aware of increased tensions within the region which could lead to an escalation of military activity having a direct impact on mariners. Vessels are advised to transit the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman and Straits of Hormuz with caution," the UKMTO said today.
The Trump administration has issued evacuation orders for non-essential personnel at the US Embassy in Iraq, and its diplomatic facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth also told FOX News there would be voluntary departure for dependents of military personnel serving in the Central Command (CENTCOM) area of operations across the Middle East.
This discourse led to the UKMTO advisory today as regional tensions surged. Iranian officials appeared to be responding to calls from hawks in the US to dismantle Iran's nuclear program by force if necessary.
But Mr Trump was pessimistic when interviewed earlier this week. The US President said: "I don't know. I'm less confident now than I would have been a couple of months ago. Something happened to them, but I am much less confident of a deal being made." He spoke on the podcast Pod Force One on Monday, which explored in depth the tense situation across the Middle East.
Meanwhile, suspected US airstrikes on Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen killed at least three people recently. Yemeni rebels said they shot down a £25m Reaper attack drone during April's onslaught, which indicated a possible US attack on Iran. It happened after the US moved six of its prized B-2 Strategic Stealth bombers to the secretive Indo-Pacific island base of Diego Garcia.
Hours after the surprise announcement of the Washington-Tehran talks, Iran's foreign minister said the conversation in Oman would be "indirect" but could be "as much an opportunity as... a test." Mr Trump - who pulled the US out a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers during his first term - said discussions would be at "very high level," as he delivered his warning to Tehran.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
28 minutes ago
- The Independent
Live updates: Israel attacks Iran
Israel attacked Iran's capital early Friday, with explosions booming across Tehran. An Israeli military official said that the Israeli Air Force targeted Iranian nuclea r and military sites, without identifying them. The official spoke to journalists on condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing operation. Air-raid sirens preventatively rang out in Israel. The attack comes as tensions have reached new heights over Tehran's rapidly advancing nuclear program. The Board of Governors at the International Atomic Energy Agency for the first time in 20 years on Thursday censured Iran over it not working with its inspectors. Iran immediately announced it would establish a third enrichment site in the country and swap out some centrifuges for more advanced ones. Israel for years has warned it will not allow Iran to build a nuclear weapon, something Tehran insists it doesn't want — though officials there have repeatedly warned it could. ___ Here's the latest: Headquarters of Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard is ablaze An Israeli attack on Iran has set the headquarters of Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard ablaze, state television reported Friday. A reporter on air said he was unable to get closer due to the intensity of the fire in Iran's capital, Tehran. Multiple sites in the capital had been hit in the attack, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said targeted both sites of and officials leading Iran's nuclear program and its ballistic missile arsenal. Netanyahu says Israel struck nuclear and missile sites Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel targeted Iran's main enrichment facility in Natanz and the country's ballistic missile program, as well as top nuclear scientists and officials. He said Iran was working on a new plan to destroy Israel after its old plan, its circle of proxies, failed. He called it an intolerable threat that must be stopped. US Sen. Reed calls Israel's strike 'a reckless escalation' U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, called the Israeli strike 'a reckless escalation that risks igniting regional violence.' 'These strikes threaten not only the lives of innocent civilians but the stability of the entire Middle East and the safety of American citizens and forces,' he said. Reed added: 'I urge both nations to show immediate restraint, and I call on President Trump and our international partners to press for diplomatic de-escalation before this crisis spirals further out of control.' Dozens of commercial flights over Iran as attack begins Dozens of commercial airliners were in Iranian airspace as the strikes took place, according to flight tracking websites. More than an hour after the Israeli attack, some were still making their way out of Iranian airspace, but some abruptly altered course to more quickly exit the area. Many nations' jets already did not overfly Iran because of regional tensions. Scope of attack remains unclear The extent of Israel's strikes remained unclear early Friday. Explosions could be heard across Tehran, Iran's capital city. There were some images circulating of damaged residential buildings. Iranian state television also was being careful in how they described the assault, suggesting that some areas outside of Tehran that had also been hit. Netanyahu says strikes respond to threat to Israel's survival Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in an address on YouTube that the country launched 'a targeted military operation roll back the Iranian threat to Israel's very survival.' He added that the attacks will continue 'for as many days at it takes to remove this threat.' Israel closes its airspace Israel closed its airspace in anticipation of Iranian retaliation. Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz warned that attacks were expected. 'In the wake of the state of Israel's preventive attack against Iran, missile and drone attacks against Israel and its civilian population are expected immediately,' he said in a statement. The statement added that Katz 'signed a special order declaring an emergency situation in the home front.' 'It is essential to listen to instructions from the home front command and authorities to stay in protected areas,' it said Rubio says Israel took 'unilateral action' U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Israel took 'unilateral action against Iran' and that Israel advised the U.S. that it believed the strikes were necessary for its self-defense, while warning Iran not to target U.S. forces in retaliation. In a statement, he said: 'Tonight, Israel took unilateral action against Iran. We are not involved in strikes against Iran and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region. Israel advised us that they believe this action was necessary for its self-defense. President Trump and the Administration have taken all necessary steps to protect our forces and remain in close contact with our regional partners. Let me be clear: Iran should not target U.S. interests or personnel.' Israeli official says Air Force is targeting nuclear and military sits An Israeli military official says that his country targeted Iranian nuclear and military sites, without identifying them. The official spoke to journalists on condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing operation. The Israeli official said Iran poses three threats to state of Israel: First, he alleged that the Iranian government is advancing a 'secret program' to develop nuclear weapons. The U.S. intelligence community assesses that Iran is not actively pursuing a nuclear weapon. Second, the Israeli official said, Iran has thousands of ballistic missiles. Finally, he said Iran has been distributing weapons and arms to proxy groups across the region like Hezbollah and Hamas. — Josef Federman Trump on White House lawn as explosions begin As the explosions in Tehran started, President Donald Trump was on the lawn of the White House mingling with members of Congress. It was unclear if he had been informed but the president continued shaking hands and posing for pictures for several minutes. Earlier in the day, Trump said an Israeli attack over Iran's nuclear program was not imminent 'but it looks like it's something that could very well happen.' The U.S. has been preparing for something to happen, pulling some diplomats from Iraq's capital and offering voluntary evacuations for the families of U.S. troops in the wider Middle East. The White House did not have an immediate comment Thursday night.
Daily Record
32 minutes ago
- Daily Record
Israel strikes Tehran nuclear sites in operation 'Rising Lion' - bombing expected to last DAYS
Israel has carried out what are believed to be unilateral "preemptive strikes" on Iran in a major escalation of geopolitical trouble in the Middle East as a state of emergency was declared. Multiple smoke plumes have been seen over Tehran, Iran's capital, at around 3.30am local time. Described as a 'preemptive, precise, combined offensive', the operation struck dozens of targets across multiple areas of Iran, according to the Israeli military. A U.S. official told CNN that the United States had no involvement or assistance in the Israeli strikes, which Israel announced would likely last for several days. Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to his nation via a seven minute television address in the early hours of Friday morning, shortly after sirens sounded to wake the country. He said: "This operation will continue for as many days as it takes to remove this threat. For decades the tyrants of Tehran have brazenly, openly called for Israel's destruction. "They have backed up their genocidal rhetoric with a program to develop nuclear weapons. In recent years Iran has produced enough highly enriched uranium for nine atom bombs. "In recent months Iran has taken steps it has never taken before, steps to weaponise this enriched uranium. "If not stopped Iran could produce a nuclear weapon in a very short time." he added, "This is a clear and present danger to Israel's very survival. "This is a clear and present danger to Israel's very survival. 80 years ago the Jewish people were the victims of a holocaust perpetrated by the Nazi regime. Today, the Jewish state refuses to be a victim of a nuclear holocaust, perpetrated by the Iranian regime." Israel's Minister of Defense Israel Katz declared a special state of emergency throughout the entirety of the country in the wake of the IDF missile barrage. "Following the State of Israel's pre-emptive strike against Iran, a missile and drone attack against the State of Israel and its civilian population is expected in the immediate future", Katz said. Local reports indicate that dozens of targets across Iran related to its nuclear program were targeted, alongside other military facilities. The operation is reportedly dubbed "Strength of a Lion." In a statement from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted on X, it was confirmed that Israel's action was carried out unilaterally, without the assistance of the US. 'Tonight, Israel took unilateral action against Iran. We are not involved in strikes against Iran and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region. "Israel advised us that they believe this action was necessary for its self-defense. President Trump and the Administration have taken all necessary steps to protect our forces and remain in close contact with our regional partners. "Let me be clear: Iran should not target U.S. interests or personnel.' In the wake of the attack, Israel has sounded sirens across the country as a pre-emptive warning to citizens of a retaliatory strike from Iran. Iran's state-run Nour News has confirmed explosions have been witnessed in Tehran and flights to and from Iran's capitial have been suspended.
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Photos of immigration protests spreading across US as Trump mobilizes National Guard
Protests that sprang up in Los Angeles over immigration enforcement raids have spread across the country. The Trump administration said it would continue the raids and deportations despite the protests. More demonstrations are planned throughout the U.S. on Saturday to coincide with Trump's planned military parade in Washington. ___ This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.
