UK PM Keir Starmer held a call with the Crown Prince of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al- Mubarak Al-Sabah on Friday to discuss the deployment of UK’s Rapid Sentry air defence systems to the country.
Downing Street said that the prime minister condemned the “reckless” overnight drone attack on a Kuwaiti oil refinery and the two agreed to work together on try to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
A Downing Street spokesperson said Starmer “reiterated that the UK stands with Kuwait and all our allies in the Gulf”.
The air defences “will protect Kuwaiti and British personnel and interests in the region, while avoiding escalation into wider conflict”, they added.
Regarding ongoing disruption to global shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, the Prime Minister and Crown Prince also “welcomed the meeting convened by the Foreign Secretary yesterday on a viable plan to reopen the Strait,” the spokesperson said.
It follows Defence Secretary John Healey’s announcement on Tuesday that a Rapid Sentry air defence missile system has arrived in Kuwait, to support Kuwait’s defences against strikes.
Authorities in Kuwait said a power and desalination plant has been hit by an Iranian attack on the 35th day of the United States and Israel’s war on Iran.
The extent of the damage is not known as the Gulf countries continue to face heavy retaliatory strikes.
The attack came hours after the Mina al-Ahmadi oil refinery was targeted in early morning drone strikes, state news agency KUNA reported.
