Dubai Under Fire: Isabel Oakeshott On Iran Missiles And Starmer’s U-Turn

Kevin O’Sullivan is joined by Talk’s International Editor Isabel Oakeshott, speaking from Dubai after Iranian missiles and drones were launched towards the UAE over the weekend.Isabel describes the shock of receiving late-night warnings to take cover as air defence systems intercepted the vast majority of incoming projectiles. Residents were sent to underground car parks, hearing “thudding” munitions overhead, while authorities reportedly intercepted around 92 per cent of missiles and drones. Despite a small impact near Dubai airport and moments of real fear, she says daily life has resumed in an “eerily normal” fashion, with most residents staying put and only some tourists seeking to leave.The conversation then turns to Sir Keir Starmer’s shifting position on allowing the US to use British bases, including RAF Fairford and Diego Garcia. Kevin brands it a “U-turn”, while Isabel calls Britain’s response an “international embarrassment”, arguing the UK cannot pretend to be uninvolved while allies in the Gulf come under attack. She questions whether Starmer is prioritising legal technicalities over moral clarity at what she describes as a historic inflection point in the Middle East. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.