ISRAEL’S foreign minister today criticised Sir Keir Starmer over his sluggish response to the war.
Gideon Sa’ar said the PM could have done more to help Israel and America after he dithered over whether to allow American jets to use UK bases.
Sir Keir has already been slammed for being “no Winston Churchill” by Donald Trump and by critics at home for the chaotic response to the war as a British base was being attacked on Cyprus.
And Mr Sa’ar, 59, has also now hit out, telling The Sun in an exclusive interview: “Sure he could have done more. He can do more.
“These are the decisions of the UK government but I will only say that the British territory actually was under attack, what happened in Cyprus.”
When asked if he was disappointed in the lack of support from the United Kingdom, he added: “It’s not the first time we are disappointed with this government.”
He also had a go at public opinion in the UK which criticises Israel for taking military action to defend itself.
The minister said: “We acted in 1981, destroying the nuclear facilities of Saddam Hussein in Iraq. Almost everybody criticised us.
“But two decades ago, when US-led coalitions including the UK went to war against Iraq, I heard personally thanks from leaders around the world because it is not sure if and how they could have confronted a nuclear Iraq led by a leader like Saddam Hussein.
“Then in 2007, we destroyed a nuclear facility in Syria.
“People who saw what happened in Syria during the civil war were very happy when Assad was toppled.
“At the same time, they criticised Israel. But what would happen if Assad would have nuclear weapons?
“Probably he would still be in power until now.
It comes as…
“Iran is the most extremist regime in the world, spreading terror and violence for decades in the Middle East and beyond.
“It wants to have nuclear weapons and this is why we attacked in 2025 and this is why we attacked now.
“We attacked now because we had intelligence that they are about to take their nuclear program very deep underground to a place immune from airstrikes.
“So people can criticise us. It’s okay. We are quite confident. We are 100% right.
“When diplomacy does not work, you need to decide whether you act or not.
“I will think that in current circumstances, it’s much more dangerous not to act.”
In a wide-ranging interview he also urged the international community to help secure maritime passage through the economically vital Strait of Hormuz.
He said: “The problem has not begun now. It began when the Houthis of Yemen committed all kinds of piracy crimes and interfered with the freedom of navigation and trade in the Red Sea.
“But the international community hasn’t really taken serious measures to stop it.
“Is it an Israeli or an American issue or is it something that affects the international community as a whole? Because it might have an effect on the cost of living of everyone.
“It is a challenge but a challenge we can overcome, but it is an international issue and the international community must take a strong position against Iran.”
Mr Sa’ar said he was not surprised Iran had attacked so many Gulf countries because “there is nothing mad that Iran will do which will come as a surprise.
“This is a mad regime, it does not have any red lines. They have a history of violence aggression and terror.”
He insisted that Israel and America are on the same page in terms of when the war will end, saying: “We are with the United States hand in hand coordinating the war, fighting together.
“As much as it was coordinated when to start the war, I’m sure that it will be coordinated when will be the right time to finish this war. But we are not there yet.”
Israel’s stated war aim is the removal of the existential threat it faces from Iran, and he said he struggled to see that happening with the new Supreme Leader still in charge.
Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, is “more extremist than his father, a very radical, dangerous person”, he said.
And he added: “Regime change will not be achieved without the people of Iran themselves.
“They will determine that.
“But I think it is fair to say that it will be impossible for them to achieve that without external help.
“We need to create the conditions to make it possible for them and you can make it possible only if you dramatically curb the terror regime and its oppressive agencies like the revolutionary guards.
“Only then can the people of Iran try to regain their freedom.”
