[00:00] Elise Moreau: From Neural Newscast, I'm Elise Moreau.
[00:04] Elise Moreau: And I'm Evelyn Hartwell.
[00:06] Elise Moreau: We are tracking breaking news on this Sunday, March 1st.
[00:11] Elise Moreau: Evelyn has the latest.
[00:13] Announcer: The United States and Israel have launched a series of airstrikes across several Iranian
[00:18] Announcer: cities, including the capital, Tehran.
[00:21] Announcer: This campaign follows the collapse of negotiations regarding Iran's nuclear program.
[00:27] Announcer: The strikes are reported to be targeting nuclear and missile sites.
[00:31] Announcer: U.S. officials are characterizing the operation as an effort toward regime change.
[00:36] Announcer: While the international community watches the escalation,
[00:39] Announcer: Prime Minister Kierre Starmor has clarified the United Kingdom's role.
[00:44] Announcer: Britain did not participate in the offensive strikes,
[00:47] Announcer: but Starmor has confirmed that RAF jets are currently in the sky
[00:51] Announcer: to protect allies and interests in the Middle East.
[00:55] Announcer: The Prime Minister chaired an emergency Cobra meeting earlier today to coordinate the government's response.
[01:01] Announcer: In a subsequent call with U.S. President Donald Trump,
[01:04] Announcer: Starrmer reiterated that British forces are focused on defensive operations.
[01:09] Announcer: A joint statement released with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz
[01:15] Announcer: called for Iran to refrain from indiscriminate military strikes.
[01:19] Announcer: The statement emphasized that the Iranian people deserve the autonomy to determine their own future.
[01:25] Elise Moreau: The visual impact of these strikes has been stark.
[01:28] Elise Moreau: Images from Tehran show plumes of smoke rising over the city following explosions that were heard throughout the night.
[01:35] Elise Moreau: The UK government has stated that Iran must never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon,
[01:39] Elise Moreau: and they continue to support a negotiated solution despite the current military action.
[01:45] Elise Moreau: Starmor has also noted that protections for British bases and personnel in the region have been increased to their highest levels.
[01:51] Elise Moreau: He cited a direct threat from the Iranian regime to dissidents and the Jewish community within the UK.
[01:58] Elise Moreau: The military specifics of the UK's defensive role are becoming clearer.
[02:02] Elise Moreau: RAF Typhoon fighter jets are operating out of Qatar to protect the Al-Udeid Air Base and other Allied facilities.
[02:10] Elise Moreau: In Cyprus, the RAF Aquatiri base has been bolstered with six additional F-35s, along with radar and counter-drone systems.
[02:18] Elise Moreau: These assets are positioned to defend Israel, Jordan, and other regional partners from incoming missiles or drones.
[02:25] Elise Moreau: The Ministry of Defense is maintaining a degree of discretion regarding which specific bases are under protection,
[02:31] Elise Moreau: but the deployment represents a significant increase in Britain's regional presence.
[02:35] Elise Moreau: While those defensive measures are in place, the retaliation from Iran has already begun to affect civilian areas.
[02:43] Elise Moreau: In Dubai, authorities reported an incident in the Palm Jumeirah area, near the Fairmont Hotel,
[02:49] Elise Moreau: where smoke was seen rising and four staff members were injured.
[02:53] Elise Moreau: Iranian state media has claimed an attack on Dubai was launched, though they did not specify the target.
[02:59] Elise Moreau: Consequently, all flights in and out of Dubai International and Al-Maktoum International airports
[03:06] Elise Moreau: were suspended on Saturday afternoon due to the resulting damage and security risks.
[03:12] Announcer: Beyond Dubai, explosions and air raid sirens were heard in Doha, Keter,
[03:17] Announcer: which hosts a significant U.S. military facility.
[03:22] Announcer: Ketter's Defense Ministry reported that it intercepted several Iranian missiles.
[03:27] Announcer: In Bahrain, state news reported that the service center for the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet was also subjected to a missile attack.
[03:36] Announcer: These developments have led to immediate and severe travel warnings for British nationals across the Gulf region.
[03:44] Announcer: The Foreign Office has advised against all travel to Israel and Palestine.
[03:49] Announcer: British nationals in Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates
[03:54] Announcer: have been told to shelter in place immediately.
[03:57] Announcer: Those in Saudi Arabia are instructed to remain indoors in secure locations.
[04:03] Announcer: Citizens in Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, Turkey, and Oman
[04:09] Announcer: have been told to remain vigilant.
[04:11] Announcer: Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has expressed solidarity with Emirati officials following the scenes at the Palm Hotel, describing them as awful.
[04:21] Elise Moreau: Domestic political reaction to the strikes has been swift and polarized.
[04:26] Elise Moreau: Conservative leader Kami Bedinak stated she stands with the U.S. and Israel against the threat of the Iranian regime.
[04:33] Elise Moreau: Conversely, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey warned that the U.K. must not be dragged into another protracted Middle Eastern war by a U.S. president, calling the military action unilateral.
[04:46] Elise Moreau: Emily Thornberry, chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, also questioned the legal
[04:51] Elise Moreau: basis for the strikes.
[04:53] Elise Moreau: She suggested that the U.S. and Israel were not under imminent threat at the time the campaign
[04:58] Elise Moreau: began.
[04:59] Elise Moreau: As the situation evolves, the priority for the U.K. remains the safety of its nationals
[05:04] Elise Moreau: and preventing further escalation into a wider regional conflict.
[05:09] Elise Moreau: From Neural Newscast, I'm Elise Murrow.
[05:12] Announcer: And I'm Evelyn Hurtwell.
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