The Ministry of Defence has confirmed that Royal Air Force jets were not involved in intercepting Iranian missiles during the recent attacks on Israel.
In a statement released on 2 October, it was clarified that two RAF Typhoon fighter jets, along with a Voyager air-to-air refuelling tanker, were deployed to support efforts to prevent further escalation in the Middle East. However, they did not engage any targets during the mission.
The Ministry of Defence stated, “Last night (1 October), two Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter jets and a Voyager air-to-air refuelling tanker played their part in attempts to prevent further escalation in the Middle East, demonstrating the UK’s unwavering commitment to Israel’s security. Due to the nature of this attack, they did not engage any targets, but they played an important part in wider deterrence and efforts to prevent further escalation.”
It is understood that British jets were not equipped to engage the ballistic missiles involved in this particular incident. This differs from a previous operation earlier in the year, where RAF jets successfully intercepted and shot down lower, slower-flying drones launched from Iran.
Defence Secretary John Healey thanked the personnel involved, acknowledging their role in contributing to regional deterrence, despite not engaging targets. He reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to supporting efforts to maintain stability in the Middle East.
While British jets have been previously involved in intercepting drone threats, this recent mission involved more complex ballistic missile threats, reflecting the varied challenges the region continues to face.
Seriously why are we getting involved with this. Both israel and Iran are Russian supporters and heavily involved with china. The US political system is corrupt enough to be bought by Israeli special interest groups, let them handle it. We risk getting sucked in to yet another pointless Middle East war so sleepy joe and the Donald can get a few more campaign donations.
Iran or rather Persia has a horrible government its responsible for the entire middle east problem. It’s own people bar a handful dispise their government and would like it over thrown. Isreal giving Iran a few body blows might be the catalyst to make that happen and if a few Typhoons, which are station in Cypus anyway. providing defence and deterence help that to happen then the result will be a world thats in a far better place in the 10 years time.
First reaction is why do we get involved especially as the Israeli Govt is pretty vile but in the end it can as a Democracy be changed, Iran and others won’t except through violence. So we have to look deeper at potential futures. Yes with events in recent years we really do now have to recognise a bigger picture is in play with various corrosive actors at play working together if not directly then in sympathy for a shared goal to topple the World Order that for all its faults has brought a modicum of peace, security and shared interests,… Read more »
This ^^^
I seem to remember the exact same arguments being made in 2003.
Exactly…..here we go again. However, I trust that this time, the British people will not be sending out their children to go put their lives on the line cos Netanyahu wants to show Iran who is the boss.
Clearly a left wing clown
A right wing knuckle head perhaps 😉
Nope but you are a clown who is now on her third fake account . Get a job and pay some tax . You need not worry about Gaza as there will be no Gaza in a year 👍
That’s more like it …..I appreciate you dropping the facade and admitting that your just another genocidal psycho like Netanyahu….. and I possibly pay more tax than you thank you very much……As for using other accounts, to what end ? So I can argue with psychos like you ? Come on mate ….get a life..
That’s 3 different names you been under on here . Why don’t you get a job and pay tax
Repeating it several times won’t make it true mate……though I can tell you learnt that tactics from the Israeli govt that you so admire…..if you can’t win on fact, do your best to discredit your opponent……..I have an advice for you too since you’ve asked me to go to Gaza…..how about you move to Tel aviv since you love the Israelis that much.
Good question. I think we are being careful. It was reported that Starmer talked with Abdulla of Jordan the day before the Iranian missile attack. And the Typhoons did not shoot at anything, unlike last time. They only flew around somewhere ( maybe Jordan?) to help prevent ‘escalation’. Also no T45 taking part.
Not careful enough, we get tarred with the same brush as the US and the US is threatening retaliation against Iran.
We need to make it very clear we nothing to do with this.
Even start pulling forces out of the region, let the US know they can go it alone on this one with their ally Israel.
I would council no sudden moves. We have to decide what outcome we want and act accordingly. The Israeli government is not representative of the nation’s population. The ideal would be a one state solution – a secular Israel – a shared land for people of all faiths. Its really down to the Israeli people to rein in the Jewish fundamentalists. But realistically a demilitarised zone in south Lebanon, a lunch Korea?
That’s a very bad idea, this goes well beyond Israel, Iran is also after Jordan and iraq..they want the whole region run by their proxies…if they win the war they are fighting, Western Europe is cut off from the western Indian ocean sea lanes and the entire eastern Mediterranean comes under threat as well as does North Africa..We the west simply cannot let that region fall to Islamists. Ignoring the tide of human misery that will create..it will slice the world in half geopolitically. The Middle East directly interacts with Europe it is not a far distant land.
Ah yes I believe it’s called the Domino effect, I seem to remember LBJ using this as justification for intervening in Vietnam. It was also very much spouted by Blair and Bush when intervening in Afghanistan to save Pakistan from falling to the Taliban.
At some point we need to learn, there are no good out come for us in the Middle East and no matter what we do it won’t make a blind but of difference in the long run.
Rapidly divesting from fossil fuels should be our main priority then we can ignore the region.
Bankrupting our country you mean yes
Energy is not the issue, it’s the geostrategic position, essentially cutting Europe from the indo pacific region. Afghanistan failed because it was about nation building. Only idiots invade and conquer other nations..the clever players subvert and contain…what is needed in the Middle East is containment..in the end as long as Iran religious rulers and their hideous ideology is contained it will destroy itself, it’s hated by its own population and is geostrategically isolated as long as the west supports a number of core nations in the region. No one needs to invade Iran, it can be isolated and subverted from… Read more »
Spineless coward you sound . The U.K. stands with Israel . Did we not dump them there for fighting for us you spineless man
The t45 can’t shoot down long range ballistic missiles , that’s why it didn’t take part this time or last time
Israel is the only true democracy in the middle east. It the only bastion of liberalism. And it is tiny compared to the hostile surrounding countries, most of which are variants of islamic theocracies that have varying levels of disdain for Israel and Jews, and are only peaceful because they know the West has got Israel’s back.
Since 2023 Israel is no longer classified as a liberal democracy, it’s been downgraded to an electoral democracy much the same as Hungary after it attacked the independence of its judiciary. It’s now continuously prolonging a war so its Prime minister does not have to have an election and face going to jail for multiple crimes. It’s also increasingly a religious theocracy as well as its criminal leadership turns to extremist polarities to hold power. Why would you want to support such a nation? Also literally what has Israel ever done for the UK? It’s refusing to do anything against… Read more »
Every paragraph here is inaccruate: Israel is not a liberal democracy?? According to whom exactly?? It is certainly a democracy (every citizen has the right to vote regardless of any criteria), it has the rule of law, it respects basic human rights every bit as much as the UK does. My goodness the UK had internment without trial during my lifetime. And Israel is worse?? “Prolonging a war”??? that Hamas began when it murdered 1100 innocent people in October 7 of last year??? … and which another terrorist group (Hezbollah) enthusiastically then joined?? Who argues that a state subject to… Read more »
You call Israel the Sole democracy in the middle-east as if we all have to die for them cos they’re a democracy….and please don’t make me laugh with that joke of Israel respecting human rights. Where is the freedom of press in Israel? Where is the respect for international law ? Where is their just conduct of war ? Where is equality and fundamental human rights in Israel? I can keep going ….just conducting elections and right to vote does not make you a democracy. 130 journalists, 280 aid workers and over 40000 civilians and counting killed in Gaza so… Read more »
Who is claiming we have to “die for Israel”? … they can defend themselves. Democracy is rule by the citizens. Israel certainly has that just like every Western European country. Just because you don’t like Israeli policies is immaterial to the fact that the country is a democracy with free elections. What happened in October 2023 is that war was initiated … not by Israel, but by the Iranian-Hamas-Hezbollah axis. When wars are initiated, terrible events follow. That is the case in all wars. But that is immaterial to the fact that states that find themselves the victims of aggression… Read more »
Yea we did it in the 1930s, so let’s turn a blind eye to slaughter in 2024 cos it is our ally…….Will you make the same argument if Putin was killing the Ukrainian civilian population is equal measure as Israel is killing Palestinian civilians? Or do we excuse them cos they’re the only democracy in the middle-east? You see how easily the whole international rule based order can unravel when you are not consistent in your condemnation…..The west has lost all credibility and now has to resort to violence or sanction to secure compliance from the rest of the world…..Developing… Read more »
Who’s no one ? You mean you , listen you been on this form under 3 names now . Most in the U.K. don’t give a shit if developing countries respect us or not and neither does the majority in the U.K. , another British woman raped by another Mohamed and is now dead because of clowns like you and your views on developing countries . Thats a polite was of saying savages 🙄
You don’t have to descend that low to make your point mate…..you don’t have to care if we are respected, but I certainly don’t want to live through another period where British citizen are at risk anywhere they go just cos their govt is supporting a warmongering Israeli prime minister who is hell bent on a war in the middle-east so he can save his own neck.
Again go live in Gaza then cause the U.K. does stand with Israel apart from 2 million weirdos who go on protests , you need not worry as Gaza will soon be totally flattened , you never wonder why Egypt has a huge razor wire wall around Palestine ? The reason is they done want the animals either .
Have you ever wondered why we sent out the Jews to the middle-east instead of accommodating them in Europe? Could it have something to do with us not liking animals ?
Why don’t you get a job and pay some tax ?
I pay way more tax than you’ve ever done in your life so don’t even go there…
No you don’t . You are also not educated in world affairs . 🤣🤣🤡🤡🤡🤡
Certainly way more educated than you….lots of emoji in your attempt at trolling cos you lack substance in these adult discussions….lots of emotions going on in every line you write that’s how I gauge your level of intelligence…and I’m afraid to say that’s its below par
Listen silly girl , we put the Jews in that hell hole for fighting for us so we can well back them . The amount of intelligence they share with us is high 🙄🙄
Okay wet lettuce….. let’s destroy our reputation and put our country on terror alerts because the Israeli govt are trigger happy psychos that think they can shoot their way into lasting peace. I hope you’re still in fighting age or have grown up children who you can encourage to elist and go waste their lives in another senseless war because the Israelis share intelligence with us….
Our reputation at what ? Being a wet lettuce . It’s clowns like you that caused the uk decline . Go live in Gaza and be an outspoken white woman and see how many days you last before you are killed
What does living in Gaza has to do with basic human decency if you claim to uphold the principles of democracy? Our reputation at what you asked ? Our reputation as a decent country that is respected by others for our values and respect for human rights and international law. The UK is in decline because the world have changed and we have relics in the ruling class who did not recalibrate the UK economy to take advantage of a changing world. We can’t blame someone else for our mishaps. It is relics like you that think it’s still the… Read more »
If we was a decent country we would flatten that shit hole Iran’s military capabilities. How many fake names you had now ? 3 ? You are a fool that needs to get a job and pay some tax
Not sure of your reason for the name calling…..but you sound very angry over what should be an educated dialogue over international affairs…..get a grip mate before you have a heart attack 😁
You don’t even work and your on about the economy 🤣🤣🤡piss off
That’s really funny……I’m sure you can tell from my knowledge of world affairs that I’m highly educated and well travelled, but then you have to resort to personal insults when you can’t make a convincing argument…..out of curiosity, what was your gross last year ? 😁
No I can’t tell at all . You sound stupid and you can’t even see it , well traveled 🤣 most are well travelled . Bye bye
Go on Tom…….tell us your gross last year since you pay a lot of tax….or are you ashamed of your tax Band? 😂
The V Dem institute in its annual index ranking. There a massive difference between having the right to vote and being a liberal democracy.
I’m not sure if you’re familiar with Israel or its politics I suggest you look it up. The government has interfered with the independence of the judiciary. That’s why it’s not a liberal democracy.
If I recall correctly, after mass demonstrations, including the army reserves, the government backed down and the independance of the judiciary remains, which is why it remains a liberal democracy. That’s not to say the government might not try it again in the future; it’s just a little busy right now.
So did the Tories in the UK along with the right wing press
Ukraine hasn’t had an election either
So what ? We should go bomb everyone at the say so of Netanyahu? It has nothing to do with us…..if Israel is going about assassinating anyone it likes and bombing any location of its choosing irrespective of civilian casualty, it is not for the UK to come to their rescue when those actors retaliate against them. We need to mind our business.
We put them there
They are facing existential threats in a multipronged assault by state and terrorist actors who are willing to use human shields and slaughter civilians in first strike attacks.
If we had similarly powerful and ruthless enemies on our borders then I’m sure we’d be much more willing to incur civilian collateral damage on the enemy side in order to protect our own population.
If the west did not back Israel at this point it would send a message to others in the region that they can bully Israel with impunity.
Just like I said to another warmonger in a different comment, I hope you are of fighting age or have family members who can enlist to go throw away their lives once the UK government decide to send troops into the middle-east to march with Israel……I for one will only put my life on the line for king and country(which means in defence of territorial integrity of the UK). I will certainly be on the street protesting any attempt by our government to send out British troops to go fight another senseless war in the middle-east that puts our streets… Read more »
Corleone, after reading your comments, I can not imagine any scenario where you will lay your life on the line for ‘king and country’.
I can however, see a scenario where you will be on the streets ‘protesting’.
Oh I love my country and will lay down my life if the territorial integrity of this country is ever threatened, and it will interest you to know that I voted for reform in the last election and will vote for anyone who puts the interests of the British people first. What I will not do is encourage or partake in any war that does not benefit this country in any way. We are not Americans who have built their economy around defence contractors hence, I don’t see why we have to play superhero in another person’s movie.
Quality buddy 👍
There’s an interesting turn of phase here, ‘the Typhoons were not equipped to engage’ as if they could have been. The UK military is not equipped to engage’ ballistic missiles in general (arguably the type 45s can although we’re waiting for the upgrade to officially be able to)
During the Cold War, the Stalinist Albanians used to issue statements such as: “We and the Chinese are 800 million strong” … there is an element of “Albanianism” in current UK foreign policy … endless rhetoric about how important the UK is, but with ever declining substance.
So, as I said yesterday, we did not get involved. Amazing.
Don’t get involved in any major action against Iran. We’ll throw people, money and resources at it to show everyone how important we are only for the US to heel turn during a future election cycle, leaving us out of pocket, bewildered and looking foolish. Fool me once…..
Shouldn’t get involved. Not capable of taking out ballistic missiles. Whole episode should be a massive wake up call to UK Govt
How many wake up calls do they need? It’s like they have an entire row of alarm clocks going off and they turn over murmuring about sleeping in just a little longer.
Indeed. I know the MOD are making noises..studies, research etc but I’ve been banging on about capability gaps and bare bone approach to many issues for over a decade now. Strikes me that decades of neglect will result, in certain scenarios, in a re-run of the 1939 Polish Cavalry charges against German tanks. Well trained, very disciplined, very brave but fundamentally outmatched and doomed.
Two Typhoons were deployed. The mighty British Lion roars.