The UK government has declined to comment on whether Israel requested British military assistance in response to Iran’s drone and missile attack.
This non-disclosure aligns with the Ministry’s policy of maintaining secrecy about operations involving foreign military actions.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak confirmed that Royal Air Force jets played a significant role in intercepting numerous drones launched by Iran against Israel. This operation came as Iran initiated an unprecedented assault, deploying 170 drones, over 30 cruise missiles, and at least 120 ballistic missiles. The attack, described by Mr. Sunak as a “dangerous and unnecessary escalation,” prompted air raid sirens across Israel.
According to the Prime Minister, the UK’s involvement was part of a broader international effort that not only protected lives in Israel but also safeguarded neighbouring nations like Jordan. “Thanks to an international coordinated effort, which the UK participated in, almost all of these missiles were intercepted,” Sunak noted, adding that the UK had dispatched additional jets to support ongoing operations in Iraq and Syria.
The Ministry of Defence, through Minister of State Leo Docherty, has withheld specifics on whether Israel formally sought UK assistance for the operation. In a response to Kenny MacAskill MP of Alba, East Lothian, Docherty stated, “For operational security reasons and as a matter of policy, the Ministry of Defence does not offer comment or information relating to foreign nations’ military operations.”
The coordinated multinational defense against Iranian threats was led by the United States from Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, with significant contributions from the UK, France, and Jordan.
A French naval deployment provided crucial radar coverage, enhancing the coalition’s ability to monitor and respond to Iranian projectiles swiftly. Moreover, intelligence sharing by Gulf states such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE proved instrumental, offering radar tracking data that preempted the attacks.
Notably, Jordan played a pivotal role, adjusting its air defences to neutralise any threat crossing its airspace, despite Iranian warnings. The downing of a significant portion of the drones by the Royal Jordanian Air Force underscores the strategic importance of Jordan’s participation, which, while primarily defensive, has been viewed by some critics as a protective measure for Israel.
You have to wonder if the next war will start with 5000 drones being launched, seriously depleting a countries anti missile stocks, or if not causing serious damage anyway due to the sheer volume. I could see a war with China going the same way, with hundreds of anti ship missiles being launched in the first minutes or hours of an attack.
We would be on a back foot, having neither a sufficiency of such missiles or indeed sufficient platforms to fire them from.
AA
Interestingly china has a huge stock of theatre ballistic and cruise missiles…specifically to do a first day knock out of US infrastructure in the western pacific….we know this because China has mocked up a number of the key US western pacific bases and practices firing ballistic and cruise missiles at them.
Or even to defend ourselves from!
Yes insightful post. Amazing that 3 years back there seemed there was no real suggestion that this sort of warfare was anything more than of nuisance value especially away from the front line. I bet that has changed now amongst the powers that be but has it changed enough? We gave some talk like Shapp’s movement on Dragonfire but the efforts required to both generate an offensive or defensive answer is enormous and will need to be available from day one to mimimise any such overwhelming strike. Can’t really see that happening here. More concerning I read on Shephard that… Read more »
Jordan had a right to go after anything approaching or in its airspace regardless of the end target.
I haven’t seen where the U.K. jets were or what they actually shot down other than vague statements.
It’s a difficult situation as not many want to be seen helping Israel just now with the Gaza mess especially in the region. Still probably more than want to be seen to help Iran.
Now if only countries would give Ukraine the same help against drones and missiles.
What about this DragonFire laser thingy- Is that being offered to UKR (for combat ‘stress testing’ )?
I’m not sure if I read that on an official statement or if it was just someone touting it as a solution on this forum?
I believe that was a bit of BS talk on this forum, not an actual thing.
It was on the BBC. They were suggesting the defence secretary was suggesting the programme might be sped up and Ukraine might get to try it even if it wasn’t 100% ready. I suppose it is a tricky and costly thing to test so trying it out on real life targets might be a worthwhile gamble.
Yes Shapps did say that getting it to Ukraine should be a prime motivation. Nice words but what’s the realty? How many Dragonfires exist currently? One, a few who knows. Either way it’s a pro type so is likely being upgraded and modified constantly with new or adapted parts. That in itself means even if its performance is indeed war ready presently it’s not going to be production ready, that I’m sure will take much of the time to 2027 and even then being operate within a UK controlled and supported environment will make its introduction far easier as early… Read more »
Drone duck shooting in middle east is the best place to test the system against relatively simple targets giving it to the Ukraine risks that the Russians might get their paws on it
In theory the production of 50-250 prototypes (maybe more) might not be out of the question. Much of the tech inside is liable to be enhanced versions of kit already made for the private sector. An interesting challenge. The failure rate of the units might well be higher than expected however we would probably simply want the unit shipped back – replacing it with another unit rather than fixing it in the field. Plenty of challenges I would say but not an impossible task.
Sadly for Ukraine it does not have any nations between it and Russia…..
Indeed which is why Ukraine is, or should be so important to Europe. If Ukraine falls and Moldova will inevitably as a result, much of Western Europe won’t have any nations between them and Russia and gradual Chinese absorption of Russia on an economic and technological level could be one of those ‘timing’ moments I mention in my comments above that we will massively regret (including the US amongst the we) in the future. At least some seem to see the dangers but it worries me the general naivety amongst the leaders and masses generally.
Completely agree..if you look at the geostrategic picture..not only would Russia gain 44million people and significant natural resources…but Hungary is next door and let’s be honest no one would be surprised if Hungary jumped ship some time after Ukraine falling…( I’m not sure Hungary really deserves a place in NATO and the EU..it’s a Russian and chinas Trojan horse…but as you pointed out there is also Moldova which has its own Russian insurgents and troops on its soil already…but Hungary is the worry as it would link Russia straight into the heart of the Balkans and Serbia….
Indeed pretty much on the surface hypocritical really when our usual defence is that they aren’t a NATO member. In reality it’s the fear of Russian nukes that dictates our response and morality whatever the mutterings of the politicians and ‘commentators’. Sadly, understandably so really like it or not, which is why Ukraine should have been in NATO years ago when Russia’s whining would have been nothing more than that. Timing seems to be everything in reality which clearly has ramifications in the Middle East and makes the failure to push through a Two State solution all the more erroneous… Read more »
If russia takes Ukraine it will control the northern sea route and the Middle European route hub that was signed into existence by Ukraine in December 2013. Kazakhstan has now the world’s largest dry port with the rail routes through russia to Europe. And if the red sea isn’t sorted soon the only ships going through there will also be russian, and Chinese.
I’ve actually seen so people spouting that this was a proportional and measured response to Isreal and that Iran was not meaning to undertake major damage to Israel…that is used lesser weapons meant to be intercepted…and that Isreal effectively deserved it and had no right to respond. and we as a nation were morally obliged to stop them responding as UK taxpayers money was spent on supporting Israels military..this was on daily politics…it was actually appalling…this individual seemed to have no understanding what throwing 120 ballistics missiles, 30+ cruise missiles and 150 attack drones into a small country would actually… Read more »
Redi ulous isn’t it the same mouth pieces would never have given the same message had Israel done the very same thing of course, the hypocrisy is scary, Listening to the Ban the Bomb guy on 5Live was last week talking about nukes not offering defence from attack similarly moronic indeed in the ridiculous logic, Fact is Britain would be devastated by such an attack and the number of missiles used was in no way designed to be that innocuous despite Israel having the best air defence anywhere. Interesting if it’s true that Israel’s response was to take out a… Read more »
Our Typhoons were operating on the Syria-Iraq border during the shootdown, they did not enter Jordanian or Israeli airspace.
Outrageous Israel gets this assistance but we couldn’t possibly help UKR likewise.
Totally different situation. Russia is a nuclear weapons power, NATO jets operating in and over Ukrainian airspace is how this gets escalated. We should send more batteries for Ukraine to operate but NATO jets should never be involved in this.
We should keep out of the issue. Full stop