Belgian defense minister leaves door open to military engagement in Middle East

By Melike Pala

BRUSSELS (AA)—Defense Minister Theo Francken signaled Tuesday that Belgium could potentially take part in military operations in the Middle East, while confirming that the government is preparing to evacuate its citizens in the region.

Francken told the RTL Info broadcaster that officials are deeply concerned about Belgian nationals caught amid rising tensions.

He noted that military evacuation operations are planned "in the coming days" and will begin "as soon as possible," echoing Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot’s briefing to parliament.

While the focus is on evacuation, he did not rule out a broader military role.

"We'll see ... Maybe," he said when asked if Belgium might engage militarily in the conflict.

Tension has escalated across the Mideast since the US and Israel launched a large-scale attack Saturday on Iran, killing nearly 800 people, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel as well as Gulf countries, which are home to US assets.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has reiterated that the alliance is not involved in the conflict. Meanwhile, the Spanish government confirmed that the US has neither used nor intends to use Spanish military bases to carry out attacks against Iran.