Seoul: Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back on Monday called for the safety of troops dispatched overseas to be put as the top priority, amid escalating tensions in the Middle East following U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Ahn made the remarks while presiding over a meeting to assess the situation surrounding the Middle East and inspect the safety of South Korean troops dispatched overseas, including in the United Arab Emirates, South Sudan, Lebanon, and Somalia. Ahn emphasized that while ensuring the safety of troops deployed there as the top priority, they should refrain from external activities and make every effort to maintain a full readiness posture within the base to ensure immediate response to any contingency.

He also called on the troops to ensure a 24-hour response system against any threats and to be thoroughly prepared to help South Korean nationals abroad flee to safety, if the need arises. The meeting was attended by some 40 senior officials of the ministry and the Joint Chiefs of Staff, as well as commanders of dispatched troops overseas via video calls.

During the meeting, the defense ministry confirmed there were no reports of damage or casualties of South Korean troops overseas and noted they had stepped up their defense posture since Saturday. The United States and Israel launched preemptive strikes Saturday morning against Iran in their latest military operation against the Middle Eastern country amid ongoing conflict over Tehran's nuclear program.