British forces have been concerned in an operation to assist “stop additional escalation within the Center East”, the defence secretary has confirmed, after Iran launched a missile assault on Israel.
In an announcement, John Healey condemned the assault however didn’t give any additional particulars of what position the UK had performed within the response to it.
In April British fighter jets shot down plenty of drones fired at Israel from Iran.
Within the newest assault on Tuesday night, the Israeli navy mentioned round 180 missiles have been fired from Iran, most of which have been intercepted.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps mentioned it launched the missiles in retaliation for latest assaults that killed the leaders of Hezbollah and Hamas, in addition to a senior Iranian commander.
Mr Healey mentioned: “British forces have this night performed their half in makes an attempt to stop additional escalation within the Center East.
“I need to thank all British personnel concerned within the operation for his or her braveness and professionalism.
“The UK stands absolutely behind Israel’s proper to defend its nation and its individuals towards threats.”
Earlier Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer used a televised deal with from Downing Road to sentence Iran’s assault on Israel, saying he’s “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, Sir Keir mentioned: “Along with its proxies like Hezbollah, Iran has menaced the Center East for a lot too lengthy, chaos and destruction introduced not simply to Israel, however to the individuals they reside amongst in Lebanon and past.
“Make no mistake, Britain stands full sq. towards such violence. We help Israel’s cheap demand for the safety of its individuals.”
Sir Keir was on the cellphone to his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu when the Iranian assaults started.
The 2 males had been talking for round quarter-hour – concerning 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 underneath manner.
Throughout their name, Sir Keir additionally underlined the significance of a ceasefire in Lebanon and Gaza.
Conservative Social gathering 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 state of affairs was changing into “more and more grave”.
He added: “If in case you have the means to depart, the time is now. Don’t wait.”
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 leaving Beirut on Wednesday.
But some told the BBC they’d acquired no affirmation or particulars about their reserving on the government-chartered flight, regardless of paying for a seat.
As of final week, there have been regarded as 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 the armed group Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran.
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 a whole lot 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.