Following Israel and the US’s ongoing deadly assaults on Iran, which began on Saturday, and Tehran’s subsequent strikes on US interests and civilian infrastructure across the Arabian Peninsula, several European countries have weighed in on the latest escalation, pledging to lend their support to their Gulf allies, although few seem willing to commit troops to the war.

European powers – particularly France, Germany and the UK – have strong political and economic ties with members of the GCC and collaborate closely on military matters, providing cutting-edge technology and expertise to Gulf states, whilst relying on MENA energy supplies and markets for goods.

While Europe has not been involved in the US-Israeli offensive on Iran, so far, Tehran’s targeting of Arab Gulf ports, energy facilities, and hotels could force them to get involved to protect their allies and interests in the region in some way.

The UK, France, and Germany, who make up the E3 group, said in a joint statement on Sunday that they were ready to provide the “necessary and proportionate defensive measures” to protect their interests and those of their allies in the region.

The countries’ leaders also criticised Iran’s attacks, calling them “reckless” and saying that they endanger military personnel and civilians, with countries such as the UK, France and Italy having personnel in the region.

“We call on Iran to stop these reckless attacks immediately. We will take steps to defend our interests and those of our allies in the region, potentially through enabling necessary and proportionate defensive action to destroy Iran’s capability to fire missiles and drones at their source,” the group said in a statement.

On Sunday, UK Defence Secretary John Healey told the BBC that British troops and civilians are being “put at risk” by Iran’s “indiscriminate” strikes, and that several British Army soldiers stationed in Bahrain had been “within several hundred yards” away from an Iranian strike over the weekend.

When asked whether the UK backed the US’s actions in Iran, Healy said that while his country had not taken part in the strikes, London “shares the primary aim of all allies in the region and the US that Iran should never have a nuclear weapon”.

On Monday, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he had agreed to allow the US to use British military bases in the event of an American assault on Iran.

According to the BBC, the bases Starmer was likely referring to are RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire and Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean. This has prompted some opposition from the Liberal Democrats, who requested that the decision be voted on in parliament.

Initially, Starmer had turned down Trump’s request to use the Diego Garcia air base to carry out strikes on Iran and the US President reacted with “disappointment” over the decision.

Despite the latest development, Starmer said London will hold off joining strikes against Iran “for now”, stressing that the UK had “learned from its past mistakes in Iraq”.

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper echoed Starmer’s statement. She told Sky News on Monday that it was “simply not true” for the UK to risk being involved in the US-Israeli assault.

“We took a very specific decision not to provide support for strikes that were taking place over this weekend. We have been clear that we believe there should be a diplomatic process, negotiations process.”

France ready to ‘assist’ Gulf allies defensively

Also on Monday, France said it is ready to assist Gulf countries targeted by Iranian retaliatory strikes, following comments from Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot.

“Regarding more specifically our partners in the region who have been targeted, deliberately aimed at by the Iranian regime, we stand ready to contribute to their defence,” Barrot told reporters after chairing a crisis meeting at the Foreign Ministry in Paris.

“Based on their request, in a proportionate manner and in accordance with the principle of collective self-defence provided for under international law,” he added.

In reference to Israel and the United States’ initial assault on Iran on Saturday, he said their “unilateral strikes” could have gained legitimacy if they had gone before the UN Security Council, hinting that the attacks should have been debated beforehand.

“Everyone could have taken their responsibilities, because it is only by going before the (United Nations) Security Council that the use of force can acquire the necessary legitimacy,” Barrot said.

However, Barrot called on Iran to “end its attacks and to resign itself to major concessions to achieve a political solution leading to peace in the region”.

No French victims have been reported despite a drone attack against a French naval base in Abu Dhabi on Sunday that caused limited damage, the Foreign Minister said.

Germany lauds US-Israeli assault

In Germany, Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he had been informed of Israel’s and the US’s attacks in advance,  and that he had also spoken by telephone on Saturday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Chancellor celebrated the attacks, telling his cabinet that the “mullah regime is a terror regime, responsible for decades of oppression of the Iranian people” and agreed with the US’s goals to “end this destructive regime”.

Despite the attacks’ unlawful nature and the lack of authorisation from the UN Security Council, Merz refused to refer to international law when commenting on the assault.

“This is not the moment to lecture our partners and allies. Despite our reservations, we share many of their objectives,” he said.

Merz, however, raised questions on whether these strikes could “bring about regime change” and warned of potential risks.

On Monday, Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul ruled out any German participation in the US and Israel’s assault, which remains ongoing as of Monday.

“The UK has concluded that it will make military bases available to the Americans. We don’t have any bases there, we also don’t have the corresponding military resources,” he told public broadcaster Deutschlandfunk.

“And the German government definitely has no intention of participating in any way,” Wadephul said.

Elsewhere in the continent

Some other European nations have weighed in on the latest escalation with what can be interpreted as a “balanced” stance. Spain’s top diplomat, Jose Manuel Albares, said the US-Israeli joint attacks don’t “have backing from the United Nations’ Charter or international law”. However, the Foreign Minister said that Iran’s retaliatory strikes across the Gulf weren’t “justifiable” either.

Albares urged the European Union to be a “voice of reason” amid the escalation, while speaking to Euro News on Monday.

Italy, too, failed to condemn or applaud the attack, instead urging its citizens to leave the region.

American and Israeli attacks on Iran have killed several leading Iranian political figures, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

At least 555 Iranians have been killed since Saturday, with the US and Israel vowing to continue their assault.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said that military operations against Iran would not lead to an “endless war” and that the aim was to destroy Tehran’s missiles, Navy, and other security infrastructure.

“We’re hitting them surgically, overwhelmingly and unapologetically,” Hegseth said during a press conference at the Pentagon.