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United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated Monday that there is "no assessment" that the U.K. is being targeted by Iranian missiles, pushing back against Israeli military claims that Tehran has weapons capable of striking London, Paris and Berlin.
Meanwhile, a former Israeli security official called the Israeli army's statement a "publicity stunt," as Starmer convenes an emergency Cobra meeting to examine the conflict's economic impact on British households.
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Speaking to broadcasters, Starmer said the government carries out assessments "all the time in order to keep us safe, and there's no assessment that we're being targeted in that way at all. But of course, it's my job to ensure that British interests, British lives are always uppermost in my mind."
He emphasized the need for de-escalation, saying, "What we need here is de-escalation, and that's why we had a statement from a number of countries last week about what we need to do about the Strait of Hormuz, which obviously needs careful coordination and a viable plan."
"But it's very important we defend our interests, we defend British lives, but without getting dragged into the war, and that's the clear divide I've put in place," Starmer noted.
The Israeli army had claimed on Saturday that Iran possesses missiles "that can reach London, Paris or Berlin," without offering evidence.
An Iranian missile would need to travel approximately 2,700 miles to reach London.
The claim followed an unsuccessful Iranian attempt to strike the Diego Garcia U.S.-U.K. base, located approximately 2,350 miles from Iran's southern coast.
Eran Etzion, former deputy head of Israel's National Security Council, told Sky News the Israeli army's claim contradicts assessments made by American and Israeli intelligence, calling it a "surprise."
"It does have strategic significance, but I wouldn't exaggerate it. As far as we know, it's not as if they have the full-scale capacity to hit European capitals. Neither do they necessarily have the intention," Etzion said.
"When we look at threats, we look at the combination of capabilities and intentions. So I think more than anything right now, it's a publicity stunt for those who are trying to magnify the threat. But there is no need to magnify the threat. It's very clear," he said.
Asked whether the publicity stunt was by the Israeli or Iranian side, Etzion stated: "Maybe both."
He noted that Tehran is "obviously looking to deter," while Netanyahu is "looking to magnify the Iranian threat, and under the current circumstances, that is not really necessary."
Starmer also confirmed an emergency Cobra meeting would take place on Monday, March 23, to examine the wider impact of the conflict, particularly on household finances.
COBRA stands for "Cabinet Office Briefing Room A". The term COBRA isn't an official acronym but rather a reference to the physical location where these meetings take place.
"Most people are concerned both about the conflict itself and about how it may affect them and their families. And so today we're looking at the economic impact, and I am asking for every lever that's available to the government to deal with the cost of living to be discussed at Cobra," Starmer said.
He added that the Bank of England and other bodies would attend the meeting.
The U.K. confirmed it is now authorizing the use of British military bases to strike Iranian missile launchers targeting commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
Previously, U.K. bases were only authorized for use to strike Iranian sites targeting British allies and interests in Gulf states.
Starmer's government has maintained that British involvement is limited to defending interests and lives without being drawn into the broader war.
Regional escalation has continued since the U.S. and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, killing so far over 1,340 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries hosting U.S. military assets.
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