UK PM Keir Starmer convenes emergency Cobra meeting after Iran strikes

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer held an emergency Cobra meeting amid escalating regional tensions in the wake of the U.S. and Israel’s joint attack on Iran.

COBR (Cabinet Office Briefing Room), also known as Cobra, is the U.K. government’s high-level emergency response committee, consisting of ministers and officials, designed to coordinate the government’s response to an emerging crisis.

The British government called for de-escalation of the conflict, adding, “We have continually supported efforts to reach a negotiated solution.”

A government spokesperson said: “Iran must never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon.”

The U.K. government said its priority was the safety of British nationals in the region and officials were directed to provide UK nationals with continued consular assistance.

The U.S. and Israel launched a joint military operation, which Israel named Operation Roaring Lion and the U.S. named Operation Epic Fury, targeting the Islamic Republic’s leadership and key military installations on Saturday, February 28, 2026.

Explosions were heard in several Iranian cities, including the capital, Tehran. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Israel bombed a primary girls school in the middle of the day while it was packed with young pupils, resulting in the deaths of 51 innocent children.

The situation has resulted in severe air travel disruption with many countries forced to close their airspace.

Iran has vowed to deliver a “crushing” response to the “wholly unprovoked, illegal, and illegitimate” war waged against it.