UK forces involved in response to Iran attacks on Israel

British forces were progressive successful an cognition to assistance "prevent further escalation successful the Middle East", the defence caput has confirmed, aft Iran launched a rocket onslaught connected Israel.

In a statement, John Healey condemned the onslaught but did not springiness immoderate further details of what relation the UK had played successful the effect to it.

In April British combatant jets changeable down a fig of drones fired astatine Israel from Iran.

In the latest onslaught connected Tuesday evening, the Israeli subject said astir 180 missiles were fired from Iran, astir of which were intercepted.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it launched the missiles successful retaliation for caller attacks that killed the leaders of Hezbollah and Hamas, arsenic good arsenic a elder Iranian commander.

Mr Healey said: "British forces person this evening played their portion successful attempts to forestall further escalation successful the Middle East.

"I privation to convey each British unit progressive successful the cognition for their courageousness and professionalism.

"The UK stands afloat down Israel's close to support its state and its radical against threats."

Earlier Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer utilized a televised code from Downing Street to condemn Iran's onslaught connected Israel, saying helium is "deeply acrophobic that the portion is connected the brink".

"We basal with Israel and we recognise her close to self-defence successful the look of this aggression," helium said.

Calling connected Iran to halt its attacks, Sir Keir said: "Together with its proxies similar Hezbollah, Iran has menaced the Middle East for acold excessively long, chaos and demolition brought not conscionable to Israel, but to the radical they unrecorded amongst successful Lebanon and beyond.

"Make nary mistake, Britain stands afloat quadrate against specified violence. We enactment Israel's tenable request for the information of its people."

Sir Keir was connected the telephone to his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu erstwhile the Iranian attacks began.

The 2 men had been speaking for astir 15 minutes – astir the imaginable of missiles being fired by Tehran – erstwhile Netanyahu had to wantonness the telephone due to the fact that helium had been told the attacks were nether way.

During their call, Sir Keir besides underlined the value of a ceasefire successful Lebanon and Gaza.

Conservative Party person Rishi Sunak said: "We basal unequivocally by Israel's close to support itself including against Hezbollah successful Lebanon."

In his statement, the premier curate repeated his proposal to British nationals to permission Lebanon, informing the concern was becoming "increasingly grave".

He added: "If you person the means to leave, the clip is now. Do not wait."

Britons successful Lebanon person been advised to registry their beingness with officials connected the government's website and a UK-chartered level is leaving Beirut connected Wednesday.

But immoderate told the BBC they had received nary confirmation oregon details astir their booking connected the government-chartered flight, contempt paying for a seat.

As of past week, determination were thought to beryllium betwixt 4,000 and 6,000 UK nationals, including dependants, successful Lebanon.

The rocket onslaught came hours aft Israel launched a crushed penetration successful confederate Lebanon, successful what it has described arsenic "limited, localised and targeted" raids against the equipped radical Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran.

Lebanese officials accidental much than 1,000 radical person been killed pursuing Israeli aerial strikes implicit the past 2 weeks. Hezbollah has responded by firing hundreds of rockets into bluish Israel.

The antecedently sporadic cross-border warring betwixt Israel and Hezbollah escalated connected 8 October 2023 - the time aft the unprecedented onslaught connected Israel by Hamas gunmen from the Gaza Strip - erstwhile Hezbollah fired astatine Israeli positions, successful solidarity with the Palestinians.