Westminster is in shock tonight. The Prime Minister's cabinet was briefed by MI6 this morning. The message was stark.
Thousands are dead. The real number could be higher. Much higher.
Official figures from the region are unreliable. The chaos is total. British intelligence sources say the scale of the operation caught even them off guard.
The US and Israel launched a coordinated strike on Iranian nuclear facilities and military command centers. The response from Tehran was immediate. Missiles rained down on US bases.
Civilian areas were hit. The reported death toll is 12,000. But Whitehall sources admit that number is a 'best guess.
' The true count could be double. The cabinet is divided. Some ministers are demanding an emergency debate.
Others urge caution. The PM is treading carefully. No statement beyond 'deep concern' so far.
The opposition is circling. They smell blood. The backbenchers are restless.
Labour's left flank is already calling for a full parliamentary inquiry. The government fears a split. The memo from the Joint Intelligence Committee warns of 'lasting regional destabilisation.
' Oil prices have spiked. The markets are jittery. This is not the quick war they promised.
The corridors of power are buzzing. This could be the defining moment of the parliament. The question now is not whether the UK will be drawn in.
It is how deep. Watch the whips. They are working overtime.
