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PA Media
Michelle O'Neill said it was "absolutely the wrong call' by the government
First Minister Michelle O'Neill has said she "fundamentally disagrees" with the government's approach regarding the ongoing situation in the Middle East.
Iran responded by firing ballistic missiles and drones at US assets and allies across the region, targeting Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
O'Neill described the events over the weekend as a "spiralling conflict" and "deeply disturbing".
She said it was "absolutely the wrong call of the British government to join in this war".
"I fundamentally disagree with the British government's approach, the fact that they have now joined this reckless war," she added.
"This is a war that should never have begun."
Little-Pengelly said O'Neill was invited to the briefing but did not attend and she did not know why.
A spokesperson for the Executive Office, which is headed by the first minister and deputy first minister, said both women were offered a meeting by the Cabinet Office.
They said the deputy first minister attended "on behalf of the Executive Office".
Speaking at Stormont on Monday, O'Neill said she "remained engaged over the weekend".
"My primacy in all of this is the safety of Irish citizens, of British citizens that are living out there, that have travelled out there for holidays.
"Our job is to try to remain engaged and to get those people safely extracted but I fundamentally disagree with the fact that a war has begun," O'Neill said.
