Holidaying Brits ordered to ‘SHELTER in place' in Qatar over fears of Iranian revenge attack after US nuke site blitz
BRITS have been ordered to "shelter in place" in Qatar amid the unfolding crisis in the Middle East.
The Foreign Office (FCDO) issued to shock order in the wake of the US's weekend blitz on Iran and the ongoing conflict with Israel.
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Brits have warned to 'shetler in place' in Qatar
Credit: Alamy
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Screen grab taken from Parliament TV of Foreign Secretary David Lammy, issuing an update to MPs in the House of Commons, London, on the Middle East. Issue date: Monday June 23, 2025. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Parliament TV/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used for editorial reporting purposes […]
Credit: PA
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TEL AVIV, ISRAEL – JUNE 23: Civilians retrieve personal belongings from the rubble of their houses after a ballistic missile fired from Iran struck the city yesterday morning on June 23, 2025 in Tel Aviv, Israel. Iran and Israel have continued to exchange aerial attacks in the days after the United States bombed several Iranian […]
Credit: Getty
FCDO officials updated travel advice for
Some 22,000 Brits are residents in
Qatar
- which hosted the World Cup in 2022 - and it is estimated 156,000 visit from the UK each year.
And elswhere, the RAF evacuated 63 British nationsl from
Israel
as the situation in the Middle East devolves.
Read more on Iran
He also confirmed that one British national in Israel had been injured during Iranian missile attacks and had been offered consular support.
In his statement to the Commons, Mr Lammy repeated his plea to
Iran
to return to the negotiating table following America's
strikes
on its nuclear programme.
He said: "My message for Tehran was clear, take the off ramp, dial this thing down, and negotiate with the United States seriously and immediately.
"The alternative is an even more destructive and far-reaching conflict, which could have unpredictable consequences."
Most read in The Sun
It comes after the Trump administration issued the same warning regarding
Qatar
to US citizens.
Iran is continuing to threaten revenge strikes after the US blitz over the weekend.
And it is feared they could launch attacks across the Middle East - targeting Americans and potentially Brits.
In an update to the page, the FCDO said: "Following a US security alert for US nationals in Qatar, out of an abundance of caution, we recommend that British nationals in Qatar shelter in place until further notice.
"Follow instructions from local authorities.
"The FCDO is in contact with local authorities and international partners, and will provide further updates as the situation develops."
More to follow...
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Irish Examiner
33 minutes ago
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Iran launches missile attacks on US base in Qatar
Iran has launched missile attacks on a US military base in Qatar, retaliating for the American bombing of its nuclear sites and escalating tensions in the volatile region. After the attack, the Gulf nation of Bahrain – which is home to the US 5th Fleet headquarters – temporarily suspended flights in its air space, which is similar to what Qatar did shortly before it was hit. Qatar condemned the attack on Al Udeid Air Base, but said it intercepted the missiles and no casualties were reported. It said its air space is now safe. The US confirmed the air base was targeted by a missile attack from Iran but added that casualties were reported. A Defence Department source said the base was targeted with short-range and medium-range ballistic missiles, and officials are continuing to monitor the situationl. Satellite image showing Al Udeid Air Base (Planet Labs PBC/AP) Tehran said the attack in Qatar matched the number of bombs dropped by the US on Iran's nuclear sites over the weekend, signalling its likely desire to de-escalate. Iran also said it targeted the base because it was outside populated areas. Tehran announced the attack on state television as martial music played. A caption on screen called it 'a mighty and successful response' to 'America's aggression'. The Ain al-Assad base housing US troops in western Iraq was also targeted, an Iraqi security source said, but Iran did not claim that attack, which could have been carried out by militias. Qatar's Foreign Ministry said the attack by Iran's Revolutionary Guards was 'a flagrant violation of Qatar's sovereignty, its air space and international law'. Al Udeid is also home to the Combined Air Operations Centre, which provides command and control of air power across the region as well as the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, the largest such unit in the world. The retaliation came a day after the US launched a surprise attack on three of Iran's nuclear sites. Just before the explosions, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian wrote on the social platform X: 'We neither initiated the war nor seeking it. But we will not leave invasion to the great Iran without answer.' Masoud Pezeshkian (Iranian Presidency Office/AP) Earlier in the day, Israel expanded its war against Iran to include targets associated with the country's struggling theocracy, striking the gate of a Tehran prison notorious for holding political activists and hitting the headquarters of the military force that suppressed recent protests. As plumes of thick smoke rose over Tehran, Israel was attacked with another barrage of Iranian missiles and drones. The persistent fire has become a reality for civilians in both countries since Israel started the war to target Tehran's nuclear programme. On the 11th day of the conflict, Israel said it attacked 'regime targets and government repression bodies in the heart of Tehran', but Israeli officials insisted they did not seek the overthrow of Iran's government, their arch enemy since the country's 1979 Islamic Revolution. The Israeli military warned Iranians that it would continue to attack military sites around Tehran over 'the coming days' as its focus shifts to symbolic targets as well. The military issued the warning on the social platform X, though Iranians are struggling to access the outside world as an internet shutdown has crippled the country. The latest strikes unfolded hours after Donald Trump wrote on social media: 'If the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn't there be a Regime change???' White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt later said the US president was 'simply raising a question'. However, suggestions of overthrowing the Iranian government drew new anger from Tehran, which insists it will not negotiate at this time and is threatening to retaliate directly against American troops or interests in a Middle East already inflamed by the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. In the Tehran strikes, Israel blew open a gate at Evin prison. Iranian state television shared surveillance footage of the strike at the facility known for holding dual nationals and westerners often used by Iran as bargaining chips in negotiations with the West. Evin also has specialised units for political prisoners run by the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, which answers only to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The facility is the target of US and EU sanctions. Evin jail in the suburbs of Tehran (Alamy/PA) Iranian state television aired footage it described as being shot inside Evin, with prisoners under control inside the facility. However, the Washington-based Abdorrahman Boroumand Centre for Human Rights in Iran expressed worry about the condition of prisoners there. 'Many families of current detainees have expressed deep concern about the safety and condition of their loved ones held inside the prison,' it said. Earlier on Monday, Iranian General Abdolrahim Mousavi warned Washington that its strikes had given Iranian forces a 'free hand ' to 'act against US interests and its army'. Tens of thousands of US troops are based in the Middle East, many in locations within range of short-range Iranian missiles. The Israeli military also confirmed it had struck roads around Iran's Fordo enrichment facility to obstruct access to the site. The underground site was one of those hit in Sunday's attack by the US on three nuclear facilities. 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Extra.ie
an hour ago
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Iran launches missile attacks on US base in Qatar
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The Journal
2 hours ago
- The Journal
Timeline: When did Donald Trump really decide to bomb Iran?
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Trump said this week that Gabbard's testimony before the committee was 'false', after which she has backtracked on her March statement, attacking 'dishonest media' and claiming Iran could soon build a nuclear weapon 'if they decide to'. 12 April – 60-day ultimatum US and Iranian officials held 'constructive' talks in Oman on the subject of limiting Iran's uranium enrichment and moves towards developing nuclear weapons after Trump sent a letter to Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei. In the letter, Trump gave Iran sixty days to show 'substantial progress' on the issue. To keep the ultimatum viable, Trump asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to strike before then to allow for negotiations to achieve a peaceful resolution. 26 May – Netanyahu warns he will strike Despite Trump's negotiation window facilitating active talks on limiting Iranian nuclear capabilities, Netanyahu told a group of US lawmakers that he would undertake military action against Iran without seeking American approval , according to CNN. Advertisement Netanyahu has for over three decades in politics tried to enlist the help of the US in dismantling Iran's nuclear programme, constantly warning of weaponisation in the very near future, but to no avail. 8 June – Camp David talks Less than a week out from the commencement of Israel's strikes against Iran, Trump and his national security advisers huddled at Camp David where military plans were drawn up. 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He faced opposition to the move, even from the most ardent of the Maga movement, including the outspoken Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor-Greene and conservative TV host Tucker Carlson. 20 June – America intervenes Trump authorised a fleet of US B-2 bombers to drop 14 bunker busters on Iranian nuclear sites in the early hours of the morning local time. US defence secretary Pete Hegseth said 'took months and weeks of positioning and preparation', implying that the US was always fully intent on assisting Israel is dismantling Iran's nuclear capabilities if called upon. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... Our Explainer articles bring context and explanations in plain language to help make sense of complex issues. We're asking readers like you to support us so we can continue to provide helpful context to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay. Learn More Support The Journal
