O'Neill refuses to join second briefing on Middle East conflict
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First Minister Michelle O'Neill says she fundamentally disagrees with the government's approach to join a "reckless war".
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O'Neill refuses to join second briefing on Middle East conflict 24 minutes ago Share Save Claire Quinn , BBC News NI and Brendan Hughes , political reporter Share Save First Minister Michelle O'Neill refused to join another cabinet briefing on the ongoing conflict in the Middle East on Monday afternoon. Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly said it was "genuinely disappointing". O'Neill, who also failed to join a briefing on Saturday, has described the government's "direct involvement in the war as wrong". Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer agreed to a US request to use British military bases for "defensive" strikes on Iranian missile sites. It came after Israel and the US struck Iran on Saturday, killing the country's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei . Iran has responded by launching missiles and drones across the region, targeting Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Cyprus and ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. UK will allow US to use bases to strike Iranian missile sites, PM says Allies of US in the Gulf bear brunt of Iran attacks Woman sheltered in Dubai hotel basement after air strikes The cabinet briefing took place on Monday afternoon at Police Service of Northern Ireland headquarters in Belfast and Little-Pengelly was in attendance. She said they were not being asked for their views on "military manoeuvres or tactics" in the virtual meetings with senior security and government officials. "These briefings will give us an overview of what is happening in a military sense in the region to inform us about the impact of this conflict on the UK, on us here in Northern Ireland, but in particular, on those many thousands of people that are in the region who at the moment are very apprehensive," she said. The deputy first minister said it was "important that we do everything that we can to get the accurate information, the maximum information". "My primary concern in all of this is the safety of Northern Ire...
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