No, British aircraft aren’t delivering weapons to Israel

In response to claims from recent reports suggesting British military aircraft may be delivering weapons to Israel, it’s important to examine the reality around what’s happening.

Despite speculation and a viral tweet regarding over 60 RAF flights landing in Israel since October 2023, the evidence doesn’t support the claim that these planes are transporting arms for the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF).

While the sheer number of flights might raise eyebrows, it’s important to understand that the UK doesn’t sell military equipment to Israel in such large volumes. In fact, only around 1% of Israel’s military purchases involve British equipment. The bulk of Israel’s defense needs are met by the United States, which provides significant military aid, and by domestic Israeli manufacturers.

Ignoring that the Ministry of Defence have already confirmed that these flights are not carrying any sort of lethal aid, the idea that Britain would suddenly start delivering large amounts of military equipment to Israel via RAF flights contradicts the established trends in British arms exports. Historically, UK arms sales to Israel have primarily involved high-tech components, like electrical components technology, not large shipments of lethal weapons.

Such items wouldn’t require numerous flights by large military transport aircraft. Britain has sold Israel components and parts for some time, they’ve never had to be flown in before. Not to mention the nature of these parts wouldn’t necessitate the involvement of a huge chunk of Britains air transport fleet.

Proven Expertise

To put things in context, the UK Defence Journal was the first to report on British weapon shipments to Ukraine prior to the Russian invasion. We were able to do this through a combination of factors—our team had an understanding of aircraft movements, and we had people on the ground who knew what was arriving at RAF Brize Norton. In fact, one of our reports even showed a truck marked with explosive cargo heading into the base.

We consulted an OSINT (Open-Source Intelligence) expert who works closely with us, and they confirmed that no similar indicators are present on flights to Israel, even via the UK’s base in Cyprus. According to the expert, “The situation we observed before the Ukraine conflict had clear signs of military aid shipments—regular flights of specific aircraft types associated with logistical movements, along with visible military cargo being transported to airbases like Brize Norton. With the flights to Israel, we aren’t seeing those same patterns, even from Cyprus, where many of these planes are originating.”

The expert added, “If these flights were being used for weapons deliveries, we’d expect to see more concrete signs, such as specific logistical movements or supply chain indicators tied to military equipment. The absence of those factors—both in terms of flight activity and ground operations—makes it highly unlikely that the UK is using these flights for that purpose.”

This expert analysis, combined with our previous experience reporting on military aid shipments, further supports the conclusion that these flights are being used for diplomatic and humanitarian purposes, not weapon deliveries.

UK explains nature of military flights into Israel

Practicality, not proof

Much of the speculation revolves around the use of large military cargo planes like the C-17 Globemaster III and A400M Atlas, which are capable of carrying heavy equipment, including military vehicles and large groups of personnel. The capacity of these aircraft is frequently cited as a reason to suspect they are being used to transport weapons. However, the ability of these planes to carry heavy loads does not prove they are doing so.

In fact, these aircraft are used for their flexibility and efficiency. A large plane like the C-17 can transport diplomats, medical supplies, and support staff all in one go, reducing the need for multiple flights.

The focus on the planes’ capabilities rather than their actual cargo creates room for speculation but provides no direct evidence of weapons deliveries.

Misleading implications through language

In a recent report by an outlet that often attempts to link British military actions to the Israeli arms trade, certain linguistic choices lead readers toward speculative conclusions without making outright claims. For example, expanding on previous points made in the previous section, statements like “most UK military flights were vast cargo vehicles that can carry weapons and over 100 soldiers” focus on the aircraft’s capacity rather than the actual cargo.

This leaves room for readers to infer that weapons might be on board, despite the lack of any hard evidence supporting that idea. Is this intentional? Who knows.

Another example is the emphasis on the government “refusing to provide full details” of what’s on these flights, which is framed in a way that raises suspicion. While withholding specific details is typical in military operations for security reasons, the phrasing encourages readers to assume that something more is being concealed. The strategic use of such vague language creates a gap for readers to fill with assumptions, even though nothing concrete is being presented.

This is also reflected in a tweet promoting the article, where the outlet claims, “The UK government is refusing to provide information about the flights amid concerns they are carrying weapons for the IDF.”

Despite this clear inference, the UK Government has consistently confirmed that no weapons or lethal aid are being transported to Israel. The Ministry of Defence has reiterated that these flights have involved diplomatic engagements and the transport of personnel and humanitarian supplies—not military arms.

The use of speculative language might lead to suspicions, but in reality, the official position of the UK Government directly contradicts the notion of weapon shipments. Without concrete evidence to support such claims, it’s crucial to focus on the facts rather than inference.

In short

Despite the speculation, the facts don’t support the idea that British military aircraft are delivering weapons to Israel. The UK’s historical arms sales to Israel are minimal, and the patterns we observed with previous British arms deliveries, such as to Ukraine, are absent here. Large military transport planes are being used, but their capacity alone is not proof of weapon shipments.

At the end of the day, it’s important to rely on evidence, not speculation. Based on everything we’ve seen, there is no reason to believe that British aircraft are delivering arms to Israel.