A Cabinet minister has refused to rule out the UK military being involved in any attacks on Iran.
Science and Secretary Peter Kyle said Britain will do “what it needs to do to support our allies in a time of need”. Asked whether he could rule out the UK military being involved in any attacks on Iran, Mr Kyle said: “These are operational decisions that will be taken by the Defence Secretary and the Prime Minister and also the Foreign Secretary.
“These are delicate negotiations, delicate situations. Britain will do what it needs to do to support our allies in a time of need…We will take action in concert with our international allies.”
The last week confirmed British forces "played their part” in defending when Iran launched missiles at the country on Tuesday. RAF jets did not need to be used in the end but were ready to engage with Iranian targets. Mr Kyle was told some may accept Britain’s intervention in helping Israel defend itself but not in supporting the country “attacking Iran”.
Asked if he would be comfortable with the UK military helping to attack Iran, the minister told the : “We simply don’t know the circumstances of what is happening, what might or might not happen, in the days ahead.”
Mr Kyle earlier said the UK Government is "advising restraint" to Israel but admitted it could only advise and not “dictate” when he was told it appeared the country was not listening. The minister also said the UK is on "standby" should there be more demand for Britons to get out of Lebanon, adding the Government would use "whatever is needed whether it's more chartered flights or whether it's the military" to get people out. The UK chartered its fourth flight to leave the country on Sunday.
The Cabinet minister also said protestors should be prosecuted after carrying signs in support of Hezbollah, a Lebanese militant group backed by Iran that is a proscribed terrorist organisation in Britain.
Israel's ambassador to the UK said Israel did not want any of these wars. Asked whether the "loss of civilian life is worth it" during the conflict with Hamas and Hezbollah, Tzipi Hotovely told the BBC's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme: "Israel had no interest in any of those wars. We never wanted a war with Lebanon. We were in a situation that at October 8, Hezbollah made a strategic decision to join Hamas as part of the ring of fire that Iran wanted to surround Israel through its proxies, and fired non-stop on civilians." She added: "We will say 'enough' when our people will be safe. This is the only thing Israel is interested with. We want peace and quiet.”
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