Prime Minister Keir Starmer assured Saudi Arabia of UK support in a call with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as Middle East conflict escalates.

LONDON: Britain is prepared to help defend Saudi Arabia, Prime Minister Keir Starmer told the kingdom’s de facto leader in a call.

The assurance came as the Middle East war, now in its seventh day, escalates and draws in nations beyond the region.

Starmer spoke to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and assured him “the UK stood ready to support the defence of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia should it be needed,” the PM’s spokeswoman said.

“The leaders also discussed stepping up intelligence cooperation to support defensive operations and protect civilians,” the spokeswoman added.

Saudi Arabia, a longstanding rival of Iran, reported intercepting a cruise missile and three drones on Friday.

Britain is sending four extra Typhoon fighter jets to Qatar to strengthen “defensive operations”.

It will also deploy the air defence destroyer HMS Dragon, though it is not expected to sail until next week.

A British air force base in Cyprus came under attack from an Iranian-made drone on Monday.

The Cypriot government said the drone was probably launched from Lebanon by the pro-Iranian group Hezbollah.

Starmer has faced criticism from some opposition voices at home who accuse him of being too slow to respond to the Middle East war.

The conflict began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran, killing the Islamic republic’s supreme leader.

It has caused significant havoc in the global energy and transport sectors.

 The Sun Malaysia