Fears for 100,000 Britons as Middle East evacuation plans develop

WorldPolitics
2 Mar 2026 • 10:40 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

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  • UK officials are developing plans for the potential evacuation of more than 100,000 British nationals from the Middle East following Iranian attacks.
  • Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said that 102,000 Britons have registered their presence in the region; a total of about 300,000 British citizens are in Gulf countries targeted by Iran.
  • British nationals in Bahrain, Israel, Kuwait, Palestine, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates are advised to register with the Foreign Office and monitor rapidly changing travel advice.
  • Airspace closures due to the attacks have led to significant flight cancellations, with over a third of flights between the UK and the Middle East axed on Monday.
  • Any repatriation efforts would likely be organised by the Foreign Office, potentially involving land travel to Saudi Arabia for onward flights.

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