The Telegraph: Britain will not "close the skies" over Israel like last time
The UK did not take part in the attacks on Tehran's nuclear and military facilities and is not taking part in intercepting Iranian missiles and drones flying towards Israel, as it did last year, The Telegraph reports , citing sources in the UK Ministry of Defence.
As the publication notes, the position was formed against the backdrop of the rapid deterioration of the British government's relations with Israel due to its military campaign in Gaza.
In October 2024, when Iran launched a salvo of ballistic missiles at Israel, the United Kingdom scrambled two British fighter jets and a tanker aircraft to repel the Iranian attack.
British Typhoon fighter jets, which have taken part in previous operations to defend Israel, are based at the Royal Air Force base in Akrotiri, Cyprus.
- On the night of June 13, Israel launched Operation Eastern Lion . The IDF carried out a "preemptive strike" on Iran's nuclear program facilities to prevent Tehran from obtaining weapons of mass destruction.
- Immediately after the strikes, the US disavowed the operation, assuring that it was not participating .
- As a result of Israeli strikes on Iran, the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, Mohammad Bagheri, and the IRGC Commander-in-Chief, Hossein Salami, were killed .
