Finance
UK sending rapid teams to help citizens leave Middle East
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 2, 2026
2 min readLast updated: March 2, 2026
Quick Summary
UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper announced on March 2 that Britain is deploying rapid‑deployment teams to support the evacuation of up to 300,000 British citizens in the Middle East amid escalating regional tensions. The government is coordinating with the travel industry and planning government-l
UK working on plans to help its citizens leave Gulf
British Government Response to Gulf Crisis
LONDON, March 2 (Reuters) - British foreign minister Yvette Cooper said on Monday that her team was looking at all options, including evacuation, to help hundreds of thousands of UK citizens leave Gulf countries which are now being targeted by Iran.
There are an estimated 300,000 British citizens - residents, families on holidays, and some in transit - in Gulf countries, and 102,000 people in the region have registered their presence with the UK government since the attacks started on Saturday.
Evacuation Plans and Support Systems
When asked whether she was planning an evacuation from those countries, Cooper said officials were setting up "support systems".
"We're working on every possible option," she told Sky News. "We have to recognise the scale of this as well, and also the fact that there are strikes still underway."
Rapid Deployment Teams
RAPID DEPLOYMENT TEAMS
For now, British nationals should follow local advice and shelter in place, Cooper said, adding that she wanted airspace to be reopened.
In the meantime, she said her department had sent rapid- deployment teams to the region to work with the travel industry.
Security Incidents and Air Travel Disruptions
Cooper also confirmed an unmanned Iranian drone had struck the runway of a British Royal Air Force base at Akrotiri in Cyprus, but provided no further details.
Global air travel was heavily disrupted over the weekend as major Middle Eastern airports, including Dubai and Abu Dhabi, stayed closed after U.S. and Israeli strikes that killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, leaving tens of thousands of passengers stranded.
Reporting and Editorial Credits
(Reporting by Sarah Young, writing by Sam Tabahriti, editing by William Schomberg, Kirsten Donovan, Gareth Jones)
Key Takeaways
- •Roughly 300,000 Britons have registered their presence in the Middle East, although reports indicate the number currently registered is closer to 200,000–200,000+ (theguardian.com).
- •Rapid‑deployment teams are being sent to the region to work with the travel industry and government on evacuation options, including via road, charter flights, or other routes (theguardian.com).
- •Airspace across much of the Middle East remains closed following missile strikes, prompting unprecedented evacuation planning by the UK, including the possibility of road or land routes to neighbouring countries (theguardian.com)
References
Frequently Asked Questions about UK sending rapid teams to help citizens leave Middle East
1Why is the UK sending rapid deployment teams to the Middle East?
The UK is sending rapid deployment teams to help evacuate its citizens amid rising concerns in the region.
2How many UK citizens are registered in the Middle East?
An estimated 300,000 UK citizens have registered their presence in the Middle East.
3What role does the travel industry play in the evacuation?
The British government is working closely with the travel industry to facilitate the evacuation process.
4Is the British government seeking to reopen airspace in the Middle East?
Yes, the government is aiming to have airspace reopened to assist with evacuation efforts.
5What support systems is the UK establishing for evacuation?
Support systems include rapid deployment teams and collaboration with the travel industry for organized evacuation.
