The UK is set to deploy two Royal Navy ships and surveillance aircraft to the eastern Mediterranean to enhance security measures, according to No 10. This decision comes in the wake of six days of violence that ensued following a surprise attack on Israel by Hamas.
The surveillance aircraft will commence patrols with the objective of monitoring threats to regional stability, particularly the transfer of weapons to terrorist groups. In addition, three Merlin helicopters and Royal Marines are being dispatched.
The UK government is also arranging flights to assist British nationals stranded in Israel. While the first plane was originally scheduled to depart from Tel Aviv on Thursday, as of Friday morning, it had not yet taken off. A Foreign Office spokesperson described the situation as “fluid” and expressed the intent to ensure the flight proceeds as soon as possible.
Rishi Sunak, the UK’s Chancellor of the Exchequer, had a conversation with Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to reaffirm the UK’s support. This call was meant to underscore the UK’s steadfast support for Israel in the wake of the “appalling terrorist attack” by Hamas, as stated by Downing Street.
No 10 emphasized that the military assistance would be “deployed in the coming days to bolster security in the wider region” and reiterated the UK’s solidarity with Israel in its fight against terror.
Defence Secretary Grant Shapps clarified that the deployed vessels were not warships but rather ships with hospital facilities. He mentioned that sending the boats also serves the purpose of deterring external involvement in the region. When asked about Israel’s response to the attacks, the defence secretary asserted that Israel has the right to defend itself and emphasized the importance of providing warnings before taking action, in contrast to Hamas.
Rishi Sunak also spoke with Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi to discuss the significance of opening the Rafah crossing into Gaza to facilitate humanitarian access and the departure of British and other nationals.
The Chancellor stated that the UK’s military and diplomatic teams across the region would work alongside international partners to reestablish security and ensure that humanitarian aid reaches the numerous innocent victims of the attack launched by Hamas. This attack involved a surprise assault on southern Israel, resulting in casualties and the taking of hostages in Gaza. Subsequently, Israel responded with retaliatory airstrikes, resulting in further casualties in Gaza.
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