PA MediaUK forces have been concerned in supporting Israel within the battle within the Center East after Iran launched a missile assault on the nation.
Defence Secretary John Healey, who might be in Cyprus on Wednesday to go to personnel, mentioned British forces had “this night performed their half in makes an attempt to forestall additional escalation”, with out giving extra particulars.
The BBC understands UK fighter jets have been concerned, as they have been in April when Iran final attacked Israel with missiles.
Responding on Tuesday to Iran’s assault, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer mentioned the UK “stands with Israel” and recognises its proper to self-defence.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps mentioned it had launched the missiles in retaliation for current assaults that killed the leaders of the Hezbollah and Hamas militant teams, in addition to a senior Iranian commander.
Israel mentioned many of the 180 missiles fired have been intercepted.
Healey thanked British personnel concerned for his or her braveness and professionalism.
“The UK stands absolutely behind Israel’s proper to defend its nation and its individuals towards threats.”
Healey’s go to to Cyprus will see him meet a few of the British personnel getting ready for the opportunity of evacuating British nationals from Lebanon.
Britons in Lebanon have been suggested to register their presence with officers on the federal government’s web site and a UK-chartered aircraft is ready to depart Beirut on Wednesday.
However some instructed the BBC they’d obtained no affirmation or particulars about their reserving on the government-chartered flight, regardless of paying for a seat.
British citizen Libby, 25, was about to board a business flight from Beirut to Cairo on Wednesday morning, and described the scenario within the Lebanese capital as “terrifying”.
“You may’t sleep as a result of you’ll be able to hear the Israeli drones over your head, you get up within the night time since you hear strikes,” she instructed the BBC Radio 4’s As we speak programme.
In April British jets shot down a lot of drones fired at Israel from Iran.
The drones have been intercepted by the RAF in Syrian and Iraqi airspace, the place it was already working as a part of the Operation Shader mission towards the Islamic State group.
The choice to make use of jets in April was taken by the earlier Conservative authorities and supported on the time and since by Sir Keir.
Sir Keir used the tackle from Downing Avenue to sentence Iran’s assault on Israel, saying he was “deeply involved that the area is on the brink”.
“We stand with Israel and we recognise her proper to self-defence within the face of this aggression,” he mentioned.
Calling on Iran to cease its assaults, he added: “Along with its proxies like Hezbollah, Iran has menaced the Center East for much too lengthy, chaos and destruction introduced not simply to Israel, however to the individuals they stay amongst in Lebanon and past.
“Make no mistake, Britain stands full sq. towards such violence. We assist Israel’s affordable demand for the safety of its individuals.”
Sir Keir was on the telephone to his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu when the Iranian assaults started.
The 2 males had been talking for round quarter-hour – in regards to the prospect of missiles being fired by Tehran – when Netanyahu needed to abandon the decision as a result of he had been instructed the assaults have been below manner.
Throughout their name, Sir Keir additionally underlined the significance of a ceasefire in Lebanon and Gaza.
Conservative Get together chief Rishi Sunak mentioned: “We stand unequivocally by Israel’s proper to defend itself together with towards Hezbollah in Lebanon.”
In his assertion, the prime minister repeated his recommendation to British nationals to depart Lebanon, warning the scenario was turning into “more and more grave”.
He added: “In case you have the means to depart, the time is now. Don’t wait.”
As of final week, there have been considered between 4,000 and 6,000 UK nationals, together with dependants, in Lebanon.
The missile assault got here hours after Israel launched a floor invasion in southern Lebanon, in what it has described as “restricted, localised and focused” raids towards Hezbollah.
Lebanese officers say greater than 1,000 individuals have been killed following Israeli air strikes over the previous two weeks. Hezbollah has responded by firing lots of of rockets into northern Israel.
The beforehand sporadic cross-border preventing between Israel and Hezbollah escalated on 8 October 2023 – the day after the unprecedented assault on Israel by Hamas gunmen from the Gaza Strip – when Hezbollah fired at Israeli positions, in solidarity with the Palestinians.
