The Papers: ‘US bombers take off’ and ‘Heading out – at last’

Many papers continue to lead with coverage of the war in the Middle East. “US bombers take off from Britain for attack on Iran” is the Times’ top story. “Three American B1-B Lancer bombers took off from RAF Fairford” the paper says, which comes as US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth “promises ‘most intense’ day of strikes since conflict began”, according to the paper. The front page also features takeaways from Queen Camilla’s speech at St James’s Palace, telling the reception: “We should believe all abuse victims.” While she did not expressly mention victims of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse, the paper writes: “The speech will be seen as Camilla’s strongest sign of support yet.” Buckingham Palace tells the paper: “I think Her Majesty’s speech speaks for itself.”

The i Paper headlines with “American bombers take off from UK RAF base as Trump vows biggest Iran blitz”. It reports that a British nuclear-powered submarine, HMS Anson, nicknamed “hunter-killer” and “equipped with Spearfish torpedoes”, has left an Australia mission early “fuelling speculation it is en route to Middle East”.

The Financial Times headlines with Hegseth’s comments that Iran should brace for the “most intense” US strikes since the conflict broke out 11 days ago.

“Trump ramps up bombing of Iran” says the Daily Telegraph, reporting the US military dropped “bunker-busting bombs on the regime’s underground missile facilities”. Additionally, “HMS Dragon, one of the Royal Navy’s destroyers left Portsmouth” heading for the eastern Mediterranean, the paper reports. A photo of loved ones waving at the warship’s crew departing sits under the crosshead: “Heading out – at last”. In a separate piece, Labour MP Charlotte Nichols speaks out against the government’s plans to halve the number of jury trials, telling Parliament: “I was raped while I was an MP and I will fight to save jury trials.”

Testimonies of residents of the Iranian capital Tehran living through “heavy bombardment” fill the Guardian’s front page. One unnamed resident describes the Iranian capital as “the last stop before hell” as US-Israel attacks on Iran intensify.

The Independent focuses on the conflict in Lebanon’s capital Beirut, writing that “displaced families sleep on the city’s streets as Israel continues to attack Hezbollah-linked targets”. It poses the question “Trump’s war over?” in the headline, answering: “Not for thousands in Beirut.”

Calls to ban a planned weekend Al Quds march in London lead the Daily Mail. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood “was under intense pressure” to stop the rally, with the paper writing more than 100 MPs and peers argued it would “provide a platform for intimidation and extremism”. A spokesperson for the Islamic Human Rights Commission, which organises the annual event, tells the paper “any ban on Al Quds Day would destroy any remaining credibility that the UK has”.

Metro leads with the story of a Borough Market stall owner who chose to “fight hate with love”, in his words. It reports British-born Syed Usman Shah, who was “racially abused when his image was used to welcome visitors to Heathrow” has “invited abusers to eat dates with him” for free. “Surprisingly, some took him up on the offer,” the paper says.

Ex-footballer Joey Barton was held in custody “after allegedly battering a dad, leaving him potentially blinded in one eye” at a golf club in Merseyside, the Sun reports.

Barton’s alleged assault on a headteacher is described on the front page of the Daily Mirror as a “horror attack”. There are fears the alleged victim, 51, “may lose sight in one eye”, according to the paper.

“Victim may lose eye” is the Daily Star’s take on Barton’s alleged attack.

“Time to stop ‘cruel’ state pension tax grab” is the Daily Express’s campaign, as the Conservatives declare their support for stopping “Labour’s Retirement Tax”. A government spokesperson defends the government’s tax plans, telling the paper in a statement “an average earner’s pension pot could see a boost of £29,000”.

The US-Israeli war against Iran once again features on most of the front pages. “Trump ramps up bombing of Iran” is the Daily Telegraph’s headline. The paper highlights that underground missile sites were hit, even though just 24 hours earlier US President Donald Trump had declared the war as “very complete”.

The Times leads on three American bombers taking off from RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, as the US Defence Secretary, Pete Hegseth, “promised” the most intense day of strikes since the conflict began. Sir Keir Starmer granted an American request to use British bases for defensive operations.

Many of the front pages carry photographs of HMS Dragon as it left Portsmouth for the Mediterranean, where it will protect UK military bases. “Heading out, at last” says the Daily Telegraph, a reference to the fact that the government announced the deployment of the warship a week ago. The Financial Times reports that the Ministry of Defence said the Royal Navy had carried out the equivalent of six weeks’ work in just six days to ready the destroyer, which included resupplying its air-defence missiles. “Enter the dragon,” declares the Sun.

The Guardian features the words of people living in Tehran who say raids in the Iranian capital are intensifying. One person describes the sky as grey and polluted, and says there is a burning smell of gunpowder in the air. Another resident calls the city the “last stop before hell”.

The i Paper highlights findings by US researchers that blood tests could predict the risk of dementia in women decades before symptoms appear. Higher levels of a specific protein found in the blood were linked to an increased risk of dementia, but scientists say more research is needed.

And a couple of the papers report on the “undisputed King of the World Watercress Eating Championships” admitting that he actually hates watercress. Glenn Walsh has won the past 17 titles of the annual Watercress Festival in Alresford in Hampshire. The Daily Telegraph says he described the plant as “peppery, stalky and not really enjoyable”. The Times says he will try for another title this year – as he enjoys the “fierce competition”.

The Papers: ‘US bombers take off’ and ‘Heading out – at last’

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