Starmer calls emergency COBRA meeting and warns against ‘ramping up’ conflict as Iranian hospital strike kills dozens – while Western hostages hang in balance
Donald Trump has dramatically stalled his decision on whether to unleash devastating US airstrikes on Iran for up to two weeks – giving Tehran one “last chance” to abandon its nuclear ambitions as the death toll from the spiralling conflict surpasses 700.
The US President appeared to soften his position yesterday after days of threatening military action, issuing a cryptic warning: “I may do it, I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I’m going to do.”
The dramatic development comes as Sir Keir Starmer convened an emergency COBRA meeting and joined European leaders in desperately warning Trump against military action – with fears that Western hostages held by Iran could face execution if America enters the war.
EUROPE’S FRANTIC DIPLOMATIC PUSH
In a sign of mounting panic across European capitals, Foreign Secretary David Lammy flew to Washington last night for urgent talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff.
Today, Lammy will race to Geneva for crucial nuclear talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, alongside his counterparts from France and Germany – in what diplomats are calling the “last chance” for diplomacy.
Sir Keir Starmer insisted on “cool heads and a return to diplomacy”, with a Number 10 spokesman warning: “We would not want to see anything that ramps up the situation.
French President Emmanuel Macron echoed Britain’s concerns, calling for an urgent end to the Israel-Iran war and warning that the conflict has spiralled far beyond its original targets.
THE TWO-WEEK ULTIMATUM
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced Trump’s decision to delay military action, telling reporters: “The President will make a decision within the next two weeks.
She insisted there was still “a substantial chance of negotiations” to end Iran’s nuclear programme peacefully.
But Trump himself delivered what he called the “ultimate ultimatum” to Tehran, warning Iranian officials that “it’s very late to be talking” after they reached out for negotiations.
“You could say so. They know what’s happened,” Trump said when asked if he had issued an ultimatum. “Maybe you could call it the ultimate — the ultimate ultimatum, right?”
HOSPITAL HORROR AS WAR ESCALATES
The urgency of diplomatic efforts intensified after Iranian missiles slammed into Israel’s main hospital in the south, causing “extensive damage” to Soroka Medical Centre in Beersheba.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the devastated surgical ward as footage showed blown-out windows, heavy black smoke and patients being evacuated outdoors.
The hospital strike was part of a devastating exchange that has now killed at least 657 people in Iran, including 263 civilians, and more than 24 in Israel, with hundreds wounded on both sides.
IRAN’S DEFIANT REJECTION
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi delivered a stinging rebuke to American overtures, telling state TV there is “no room for negotiations with the US until Israeli aggression stops.
He added that Tehran will “not hold talks” with Washington due to it being “a partner in Israeli crime against Iran.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei went further, warning that any US military involvement would cause “irreparable damage” to America and vowing to “punish” Israel for its attacks.
UK’S DIEGO GARCIA DILEMMA
The crisis has placed Starmer in an extraordinarily difficult position over the British-controlled Diego Garcia base in the Indian Ocean, where US B-2 stealth bombers capable of carrying “bunker-buster” bombs are stationed.
Attorney General Lord Richard Hermer has reportedly raised serious legal concerns about any British involvement beyond defensive actions – potentially blocking US use of the strategic base for strikes on Iran.
The base houses six B-2 bombers – nearly a third of America’s stealth bomber fleet – positioned within striking distance of Iran’s heavily fortified underground nuclear facility at Fordow.
NUCLEAR TARGETS HIT
Israel yesterday struck Iran’s Arak heavy water reactor, its latest attack on Tehran’s sprawling nuclear programme, though Iran claimed there was “no radiation danger whatsoever” as the facility had been evacuated.
Israeli jets have been operating freely over Tehran, targeting what the military describes as industrial sites manufacturing missiles and the headquarters of Iran’s Organisation of Defensive Innovation and Research, linked to nuclear weapons development.
HOSTAGE FEARS MOUNT
European diplomats privately warned that Western citizens held in Iran – including several British nationals – could face immediate execution if the US launches strikes.
This is our greatest fear,” one senior EU diplomat told reporters. “These hostages are effectively human shields. Their lives hang in the balance of Trump’s decision.
MAGA SPLIT OVER WAR
The potential for US involvement has created a dramatic split within Trump’s MAGA movement, with his anti-war base warning against being dragged into another Middle East conflict.
Steve Bannon, Trump’s former chief strategist, insisted: “Iran must never get a nuclear weapon. And Israel is fully capable of finishing what they started” – a clear message that America should stay out.
But hawks within the administration, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, have been making preparations for potential strikes, with the Pentagon confirming contingency planning is underway.
DIPLOMATIC MARATHON
The Geneva talks represent a desperate last-ditch effort to prevent all-out war, with European ministers hoping to persuade Iran to accept limits on its nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief.
British officials are proposing a deal that would see Iran suspend uranium enrichment for one to three years with strict international inspections, in return for economic incentives and security guarantees.
But with Israeli jets continuing to pound Iranian targets and Tehran vowing fierce retaliation, the window for diplomacy is rapidly closing.
EVACUATIONS BEGIN
The US State Department has begun evacuating non-essential personnel from its Baghdad embassy and military bases across the Middle East, while Britain has withdrawn family members of embassy staff from Israel.
Look, there’s a chance of massive conflict,” Trump admitted. “We have a lot of American people in this area, and I said we got to tell them to get out, because something could happen soon.”
THE FINAL COUNTDOWN
As the two-week deadline begins, the world holds its breath. Trump’s decision will determine whether the Middle East plunges into its most devastating war in decades – or whether last-minute diplomacy can pull the region back from the brink.
One thing is certain: with each passing day of Israeli strikes and Iranian retaliation, the chances of a peaceful resolution grow slimmer.
As one senior British official put it: “We have 14 days to prevent catastrophe. The clock is ticking.”
