The British military was engaged in a public clash with the Pentagon yesterday over claims by Washington about the threat posed by Iran.
The Ministry of Defence backed a senior officer who dismissed warnings from the Pentagon that Iranian-linked groups were preparing to launch attacks against western targets in the Middle East.
The Trump administration has rushed military assets to the Gulf, including an aircraft carrier strike group and B-52 bombers, in response to what it said were credible threats from Iranian forces. The US yesterday began evacuating non-emergency staff from its embassy in Baghdad by helicopter, out of apparent concern about perceived threats from Tehran.