Iranian ballistic missile hits the UAE as Iran unleashes new barrage of 131 suicide drones on the region – live updates

Keir Starmer has called a surprise press conference for 2pm as provides an update on Britain’s role in the Middle East war.

The PM will field questions in Downing Street amid a mounting backlash over Britain’s lack of military preparations and the meltdown in the Special Relationship.

Watch our livestream below:

Smoke rises after Israeli strikes in Lebanon

Fighting between the US, Israel and Iran today entered its sixth day as violence continues to spread across the Middle East as countries around the world scramble to evacuate its citizens from the region.

The United Arab Emirates has confirmed it has been struck by a ballistic missile and six drones after Iranian drones were fired towards Dubai as holidaymakers desperately try to flee.

Meanwhile it has emerged the US is in talks to buy drone interceptors from Ukraine amid fears Gulf states are running low on the missiles needed to protect themselves from Tehran’s attacks.

Here’s what you need to know today:

• The UAE has announced a ballistic missile and six drones have falled in the country after Tehran fired a barrage of 131 drones today
• America is in talks to buy Ukrainian drone interceptors amid fears stocks of Patriot missiles are running low for Gulf states
• Azerbaijan has confirmed an airport and a school have been struck with drones but Iran has denied it fired the weapons
• The IDF has revealed details of how Ayatollah Khamenei was lured to his death with fake Shabbat celebrations before a missile was dropped on him from space
• British nationals branded the first UK evacuation flight a ‘s***show* after the plane failed to leave Oman because the pilot needed to rest
• Spain joins Italy, France and Netherlands in sending naval assets to Cyprus in humiliation for Royal Navy
• Qatar evacuates residents living close to the US embassy in Doha as missiles are intercepted
• Israeli strikes in Lebanon have killed eight people as new offensive is also carried out in Tehran

Starmer has also confirmed the UK government’s first charter flight has left the Middle East after it failed to take off last night.

The Prime Minister said the plane departed from Oman this afternoon, telling the press conference: ‘More than 4,000 people have now arrived back in the United Kingdom on commercial flights from the UAE, including vulnerable Brits identified by our teams.

‘A further seven flights are due to leave the UAE for the UK today, and I can report that our first charter flight from Oman took off a few minutes ago. We will lay on additional charter flights in the coming days.’

Starmer has announced the UK will send an additional four Typhoon jets to strengthen its presence in Qatar.

He said: ‘I can announce today that we’re sending four additional Typhoon jets to join our squadron in Qatar to strengthen our defensive operations in Qatar and across the region.

‘Wildcat helicopters with anti-drone capabilities are arriving in Cyprus tomorrow.’

Sir Keir Starmer has insisted his focus is providing ‘calm level-headed leadership’ as he defends his response to the Iran war.

Speaking at a press conference in Downing Street, the Prime Minister said he had chaired a Cobra meeting on Thursday morning, adding: ‘I know that people are worried sick about their family and friends who are caught up in this, about the impact on our lives and our economy, and about the potential for even greater escalation.

‘They can hardly believe that, yet again, we are seeing missiles and drones falling and civilians in the firing line across the region.

‘So, I want to reassure the British public about the action that we are taking while the region has been plunged into chaos.

‘My focus is providing calm, level-headed leadership in the national interest.’

Donald Trump’s chief of staff Susie Wiles is demanding action to bring gas prices down as the war with Iran sends oil prices skyrocketing, sources have revealed.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright and other top officials, including a council led by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, ‘are getting screamed at to find some good news’, industry executives said.

Iran has shut the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil flows, sending prices soaring more than 10 percent in a single week, with Brent crude jumping from $72 to over $82 a barrel.

The national average gas price reached $3.25 per gallon today, the highest in 11 months, according to AAA.

One month ago, the average was $2.89, and one year ago it was $3.10.

Pictured: A gas pump in Baltimore, Maryland on Wednesday

US Central Command released a video Wednesday touting the first ‘100 Hours’ of Operation Epic Fury.

In the video, officials describe the campaign as ‘the most lethal, most complex, and most precise aerial operation in history.’

‘Our military in the Middle East is undertaking an unprecedented operation to eliminate Iran’s ability to threaten Americans, as they’ve been doing for nearly half a century,’ a narrator says.

‘We didn’t start this war, but under President Trump, we are finishing it,’ another voice says. ‘Combat operations continue at this time in full force, and they will continue until all of our objectives are achieved.’

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed on Wednesday the military used a torpedo to sink an Iranian ship in the Indian Ocean.

‘An American submarine sunk an Iranian warship that thought it was safe in international waters,’ he said. ‘Instead, it was sunk by a torpedo.’

‘The first sinking of an enemy ship by a torpedo since World War Two,’ Hegseth added.

Loud explosions and fighter jets have been hard over Tehran after Israel launched its latest airstrikes in the Iranian capital.

The Fars news agency reported an explosion in the city’s western suburbs while another blast was reported in Karaj a neighbouring city to the west.

The explosions came shortly after the Israeli military said it had begun ‘a large-scale wave of strikes against infrastructure’ in the Iranian capital.

Israel and the United States have been bombing Iran since launching a massive wave of strikes on Saturday.

A Republican senator restrained an ex-Marine who came to the Capitol to protest Donald Trump’s strikes in Iran.

Tim Sheehy, a former Navy SEAL, sprung into action on Wednesday when Brian McGinnis interrupted a Senate Armed Services Sub-Committee hearing.

McGinnis, an ex-Marine now running a third party campaign for Senate in North Carolina, denounced the battle in Iran as a war being fought for Israel.

An explosion has been reported in the Saudi Arabia capital Riyadh with witnesses claiming smoke is rising above the city.

The report comes as diplomats and staff at embassies in Riyadh’s Diplomatic Quarter were told to shelter in place today due to a potential but unspecified threat.

No further details are know and the Saudi government media office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The gates to the Diplomatic Quarter, a neighborhood on the western edge of the Saudi capital that houses most foreign missions in the country, were closed as of today, two of the people said.