British Finance Minister Rachel Reeves has indicated that the United Kingdom may extend support to Israel amid its ongoing conflict with Iran. However, she clarified that the recent deployment of additional military jets to the Middle East is primarily intended to safeguard British personnel and military bases in the region.
As hostilities escalated over the weekend, with Israel and Iran launching fresh strikes, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned of intensified retaliation against Iran. In an interview on Sunday, Reeves urged both sides to de-escalate tensions but acknowledged the UK’s history of supporting Israel during previous missile attacks.
“We’ve sent assets to protect our interests and potentially to assist our allies,” Reeves stated, adding that the move is precautionary. She highlighted that in past instances, such as in April, British forces intercepted Iranian drones targeting Israel, and in October, UK jets assisted in efforts to counter missile threats, though no direct engagement occurred.
Despite this security cooperation, the UK and Israel have experienced diplomatic friction in recent months. London has criticized Israel’s military actions in Gaza, and just last week, imposed sanctions on two hardline Israeli ministers—Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich—for allegedly inciting violence against Palestinians. Israel denounced the sanctions as “outrageous” and is weighing a response.
Meanwhile, the UK Foreign Office updated its travel advisory on Sunday, urging citizens to avoid all travel to Israel due to the escalating conflict. This marked a more stringent warning compared to Friday’s advisory against all non-essential travel.
