MOSCOW, March 2 (Bernama-Sputnik/RIA Novosti) -- The United Kingdom (UK) is preparing to evacuate at least 94,000 citizens from the Middle East who have registered their contact details with the Foreign Office amid the escalation in the region, Sputnik/RIA Novosti reported, citing the Daily Mail.
It emphasises that a significant proportion of British nationals in the region are tourists, either on holiday in the Middle East or en route to other regions.
The newspaper notes the unprecedented scale of the planned operation, led by Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper.
It reports that British authorities are negotiating with major Arab airlines to secure their cooperation.
The United States (US) and Israel launched a series of strikes on Saturday against Iranian targets, including Tehran, causing destruction and civilian casualties.
Iran launched retaliatory missile strikes against Israeli territory, as well as against US military facilities in the Middle East.
The strikes against Iran occurred despite Oman-brokered talks between Washington and Tehran on the Iranian nuclear issue this week in Geneva.
--BERNAMA-SPUTNIK/RIA NOVOSTI
