British forces “played their part” in attempts to prevent further violence in the Middle East, the Defence Secretary said as Benjamin Netanyahu insisted Iran would “pay” for firing a barrage of at least 180 missiles into Israel.
In a statement on Tuesday evening, John Healey said he “completely condemn[s] Iran’s attack against Israel”.
“British forces have this evening played their part in attempts to prevent further escalation in the Middle East,” he added.
“I want to thank all British personnel involved in the operation for their courage and professionalism.”
Hezbollah fires missile at Tel Aviv after Israeli strikes on Lebanon
The BBC reports that UK fighter jets are understood to have been involved, as they were in April when Iran last attacked Israel with missiles.
Israel’s military said the country’s air defences intercepted many of the incoming Iranian missiles on Tuesday night, although some landed in central and southern Israel. Two people were reported to be have been lightly wounded by shrapnel.
Mr Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, vowed to retaliate against Iran, which he said “made a big mistake tonight and it will pay for it”.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
Iran said the barrage was retaliation for a series of devastating blows Israel has landed in recent weeks against the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon, which has been firing rockets into Israel since the war in Gaza began in October 2023.
Earlier on Tuesday, Israel launched what it said is a limited ground incursion in southern Lebanon.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he was “deeply concerned that the region is on the brink” and again urged British nationals in Lebanon to leave amid escalating violence in the Middle East.
Britons fleeing Lebanon were set to board a UK Government-chartered flight to safety on Wednesday.
It comes as Israel launched another attack on Lebanon’s capital, Beirut, overnight, with at least a dozen airstrikes against what it said were targets of the Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah.
A damaged building at the site of an Israeli airstrike in Beirut (Hassan Ammar/AP)
In a statement from Downing Street on Tuesday evening, Sir Keir said Iran has “menaced the Middle East for far too long” after the country launched a barrage of missiles at Israel.
“We stand with Israel and we recognise her right to self-defence in the face of this aggression,” he said.
“Iran must stop these attacks. Together with its proxies like Hezbollah, Iran has menaced the Middle East for far too long, chaos and destruction brought not just to Israel, but to the people they live amongst in Lebanon and beyond.
“Make no mistake, Britain stands full square against such violence. We support Israel’s reasonable demand for the security of its people.”
Iran said it launched the strikes in retaliation for the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut last week, the Associated Press reported.
The escalation came after Israel began a ground offensive in Lebanon, carrying out what it described as “limited, localised” operations.
The Iranian attack on Israel began while Sir Keir was talking to Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday, Downing Street said earlier.
In his statement on Tuesday evening, Sir Keir said he was “deeply concerned that the region is on the brink” and “deeply concerned about the risk of miscalculation”.
He repeated the advice for Britons in Lebanon to leave and said “we’re doing everything we can to get people out, but the situation is extremely volatile”.
Israel says it has begun ‘limited, localised’ southern Lebanon operation
A chartered flight to get Britons out of the country is due to depart from Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport on Wednesday, at a cost of £350 per seat.
Lebanon’s Middle East Airlines, the only commercial operator still flying from Beirut, has a regular scheduled flight to the UK leaving on Wednesday.
The attack on Israel by Iran has attracted condemnation from British political leaders.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy warned against a “cycle of escalation” and said it would be in “no-one’s interest”, while Conservative leader Rishi Sunak said “we stand unequivocally by Israel’s right to defend itself including against Hezbollah in Lebanon”.
Sir Keir spoke to other European leaders about the situation on Tuesday evening, condemning Iran’s attack and reiterating calls for a ceasefire in the region.
In a conversation with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, “the leaders agreed that further escalation was in nobody’s interest and that all sides should show restraint”, a Downing Street spokesperson said.
There was also a conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron, in which Downing Street said “the Prime Minister and president agreed that ensuring Israeli security was vital and that there was an urgent need for de-escalation, with all parties needing to show restraint”.
The Prime Minister also chaired a ministerial meeting in Downing Street on Tuesday on the situation in the Middle East.