Europe defends military bases, struggling to evacuate civilians when drawn into war

Brussels — The US-Israeli war on Iran and Tehran’s retaliatory strikes across the Middle East are quickly dragging Europe down, forcing the continent into defensive action to protect military bases and evacuate civilians caught up in the conflict.

The Middle East is home to some of Europe’s most important trading partners and several strategic trade routes. Many Europeans live in cities such as Beirut, Dubai or Jerusalem, but large communities from countries including Turkey, Egypt and the Gulf states are located throughout Europe. The Europeans were not consulted on this US-Israeli operation but are now dealing with the fallout.

While refusing to join the war directly, Britain, France and Germany have said they will work with the United States to help stop Iran’s attacks. The UK allows US forces to use British bases to attack Iran’s missile and launch sites.

But Europe itself is not exempt. Cyprus, which holds the rotating presidency of the European Union, was forced to insist it was not involved in the conflict after a Shaheed-type drone damaged a UK air base on the island’s south coast over the weekend. Shaheds were developed by Iran but have already been used in Europe by Russia in its war against Ukraine.

Some European countries, wary of other attacks at home, are beefing up security at train stations and airports.

Still, almost no European leaders criticized the US-Israeli attack. They are content to see the downfall of an Iranian regime that has imprisoned European citizens for years and challenged Europe’s economic interests.

Spain is a rare dissenting voice. “One can be against a hateful regime,” Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said Sunday, “and at the same time, be against military intervention that is unjustified, dangerous and outside international law.”

At the same time, helping to foster stability in the volatile Middle East region is a European priority. Fears of a continued rise in oil prices and the possibility of a new wave of unexpected migration are what the continent must contain.

Europe’s top short-term priority is ensuring the safety of thousands of civilians caught up in the war.

Concerns about the expulsions were raised at an emergency meeting of EU foreign ministers at the weekend. No joint evacuation effort has been initiated, but may be required immediately.

Germany says around 30,000 German tourists are stuck on cruise ships, in hotels or in closed airports and cannot return home because of the conflict. Most of them are in the Middle East but some are further afield, as their travel connections go through Abu Dhabi, Qatar or Dubai. A military evacuation was not possible due to the closure of the airspace.

The Czech Republic, meanwhile, sent two flights to Egypt and Jordan to bring home Czech nationals, dozens of whom had traveled by bus from Israel. Four more planes were to be sent to Oman to pick up more of the estimated 6,700 Czechs in the region.

Iran threatens shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which a fifth of all oil trade passes, and where ships have been attacked. Calls for the EU to help protect merchant ships have been stepped up.

In response, France is sending two more warships to beef up the bloc’s naval operation, Operation Aspides, in the region. But they will only deploy to the remote Red Sea and Gulf of Aden – the gateways to the Suez Canal, which connects the Red Sea to the Mediterranean – to join three other ships already in place.

Operation Aspides was established two years ago to protect maritime traffic against possible attacks by Yemen-based Houthi rebels. But while the Houthis expressed support for Iran, they did not immediately announce any military action on its behalf.

There is talk of revising the operational mandate and tightening its rules of engagement, but no changes are expected soon.

Maintaining stability in the wider Middle East is a major European concern. Iran’s retaliatory acts have been widely condemned in several countries.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas is expected to convene a meeting with Gulf Cooperation Council countries at foreign minister level later this week, as the bloc seeks to reassure Iran’s neighbors and other vulnerable countries nearby.

“Iran’s attacks on several countries in the Middle East are unforgivable. Events must not lead to further escalation, with unforeseen consequences for the region, Europe and beyond,” Kallas said after presiding over Sunday’s emergency talks.

The EU intends to conduct diplomatic efforts to ease tensions and aim to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons despite the collapse of its nuclear development deal after the Trump administration pulled out of the US.

Officials say the EU has no preferred candidate to take over in Tehran, and in any case it is too early to say who is best to support as a future leader. The foreign ministers primarily expressed “solidarity with the Iranian people”.

He expressed support for “their fundamental aspirations for a future in which their universal human rights and fundamental freedoms are fully respected”.

A genuine popular movement against the regime has emerged in recent months but Europeans insist it has been capped by an unprecedented wave of violence. Thousands were killed and tens of thousands arrested.

One thing is clear. The EU is unlikely to support any leadership pushed by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. The IRGC was added to the bloc’s terrorist list last month, making it impossible for Europeans to take them seriously as interlocutors.