Britain will send more fighter jets to the Middle East amid fears that the conflict between Israel and Iran will erupt into a war that engulfs the region.

Sir Keir Starmer announced he was bolstering the RAF’s presence to defend British interests should the skirmishes between the two countries escalate.

The Prime Minister made the announcement aboard the government plane as he headed to Canada for crisis talks with G7 leaders.

Israel launched a series of strikes on Iranian soil on Thursday night, aimed at preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

The attacks took out several senior Iranian commanders, including Mohammad Bagheri, who was the chief of staff for the country’s armed forces.

Tehran struck back on Friday with rocket and drone attacks against the Tel Aviv area, leaving three civilians dead and 172 injured.