Keir Starmer tells Israel to stop strikes on Lebanon after US-Iran ceasefire deal - 'They're wrong!'

Oliver Partridge
Thu, 09 Apr 2026 17:13:02 +0000

Sir Keir Starmer has declared Israeli military action against Lebanon "wrong" and that it must cease during his Middle East tour.

When asked directly whether Israel was wrong to conduct strikes in Lebanon, Sir Keir responded unequivocally: "Yes, that shouldn't be happening. That should stop - that's my strong view".

The Prime Minister acknowledged uncertainty over whether the attacks constitute a breach of the US-Iran ceasefire agreement, stating it was "hard to say" given limited access to the full details.

However, he framed his opposition as a matter of principle rather than legal technicality when speaking on ITV's Talking Politics podcast.

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"The question isn't a technical one of whether it's a breach of the agreement or not," Sir Keir said, arguing that Lebanon "should be included in a ceasefire".

On the question of American military operations from British soil, he confirmed the Government is actively monitoring how US forces utilise UK bases.

The Prime Minister was emphatic that Britain would not participate in offensive military operations or become entangled in the wider conflict.

"I'm saying I've been really clear about the use of the bases for collective self-defence only and we are monitoring," he said.

Sir Keir once again outlined that British involvement would be strictly limited to protecting "British lives, British interests and, of course, our allies here in the Gulf".

He invoked the shadow of past conflicts, saying: "We have to learn the lessons of Iraq. We need to be clear where we stand as a country".

The Prime Minister emphasised that decisions on British national interest remained solely his responsibility.

He also addressed the critical question of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, insisting that vessels must be able to pass without facing charges.

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When questioned whether the vital waterway was now accessible, the Prime Minister urged caution about various claims being made.

"There are lots of things being said - they need to be tested," he said.

He set out Britain's unambiguous position on what constitutes genuine access to the strait.

"Our position is 'open' means open for safe navigation. That means toll-free navigation and vessels can get through," the Prime Minister stated.

The UK's stance reflects the importance of maintaining unimpeded commercial shipping through one of the world's most strategically significant maritime routes.

Sir Keir also described the emotional atmosphere among Gulf leaders during his regional visit, noting they were "pleased to see a friend" at such a critical juncture.

The Prime Minister detected genuine astonishment among his counterparts at the scale of attacks they had endured, despite not having participated in strikes against Iran.

"There's a relief that there is a ceasefire, I think a sense from them that it's fragile, that there's a lot of work to do on the ceasefire," Sir Keir said.

He suggested this sentiment of relief extended to the British public, who had watched events unfold with considerable anxiety about potential consequences for themselves.

The Prime Minister noted that British service personnel had been engaged in intensive collective self-defence operations in the region over the preceding six to seven weeks, and discussed defence capabilities with regional leaders.

He also mentioned he would not echo the language US President Donald Trump has used in his recent posts on Truth Social.

Asked about Mr Trump’s use of expletives and phrases such as "praise be to Allah", Sir Keir said: "Let me be really clear and blunt about this.

"They’re not words I would use or would ever use because I come at this with our British values and principles foremost and uppermost in my mind."