LONDON

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on Tuesday to discuss rising tensions in the Middle East, according to a statement by 10 Downing Street.

During a phone call, Starmer "reiterated the UK’s steadfast support for Qatar and underscored his deep concern at the volatile situation in the region," the statement said.

“He (the British prime minister) paid tribute to Qatar’s Armed Forces for their response to Iran’s attack yesterday,” it added.

Iran launched a barrage of missiles at the US military’s Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar on Monday, marking a dramatic escalation in tensions following the US targeting of three Iranian nuclear sites Sunday.

Starmer and Sheikh Tamim stressed the importance of seizing the current ceasefire as an opportunity “to secure a diplomatic way forward," the statement said.

The discussion also addressed the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza. "The Prime Minister and His Highness discussed the horrific situation on the ground and the need for all sides to agree an urgent ceasefire."

The Israeli army has launched a brutal offensive against Gaza since October 2023, killing over 56,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children.

Israel claims that the onslaught aims to return around 50 hostages held by Hamas in Gaza and dismantle the Palestinian resistance group.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.