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BRITAIN will send ships, aircraft and marines to the eastern Mediterranean in a show of military support for Israel.
Royal Navy patrol ships, spy planes and troops will travel to the region tomorrow to “track threats to regional stability”, No 10 said.
Rishi Sunak has approved the military package tonight, while the government will also begin ramping up evacuation flights for Brits who are over there.
There are believed to be around 60,000 British nationals in Israel and Gaza right now.
The prime minister said the government “must be unequivocal” in its support to ensure the “horrific scenes” unfolding in Israel “will not be repeated”.
“Alongside our allies, the deployment of our world-class military will support efforts to ensure regional stability and prevent further escalation,” he added.
The military package includes P8 aircraft, surveillance assets, two Royal Navy ships – Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) vessels Lyme Bay and Argus – three Merlin helicopters and a company of Royal Marines.
The British armed forces will be on stand-by to “deliver practical support to Israel and partners in the region, and offer deterrence and assurance,” No 10 said.
A Royal Navy task group will also be moved to the eastern Mediterranean next week as a contingency measure to support humanitarian efforts.
The two surveillance aircraft will fly tomorrow to Britain’s RAF Akrotiri base in Cyprus.
From there, they can conduct surveillance missions over Gaza and Israel.
They will be used to track threats, including the “transfer of weapons to terrorist groups,” Downing Street said.
It comes as…
- UK, US and Germany are sending military assistance in a show of unity with Israel
- Israel has readied 360,000 troops for the possible invasion of Gaza
- Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to crush Hamas and compared them to ISIS
- Horrific details continue to emerge of Hamas’ terror rampage
- 17 Brits including a six-month-old baby are feared missing or dead
- Israel has launched strikes on Syrian airports in Aleppo and Damascus
- Dozens of people remain missing – including tattoo artist Shani Louk
Since Hamas stormed across Israel’s border on Saturday, Western countries have flocked to their ally’s aid – with Britain now joining the US and Germany in sending reinforcements.
The show of military force is intended to deter further aggression from terrorists groups who may attempt to take advantage of the situation, especially Iran-backed Hezbollah militants based in Lebanon.
Two US warship strike groups have now reached the waters near Israel, including the USS Gerald R. Ford – the world’s largest aircraft carrier.
The team manning the ship announced on Twitter today: “On scene, on time, ready. The Gerald R. Ford‘s first deployment.”
The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower is also expected to depart from Virginia on Friday.
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And US Special ops forces are assisting Israel’s military in planning and intelligence as they look to bring an end to Hamas’ terror in the country.
Today, Germany confirmed it will lend two combat drones for support.
“We will provide two drone the Israelis had asked for. In addition, there are first requests for ammunition for ships that we will now discuss with the Israelis,” defence minister Boris Pistorius said.
He added: “We stand by Israel’s side.”
During a joint press conference with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken today, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu thanked America for their support in the fight against the “barbarians of Hamas”.
“Hamas has shown itself to be an enemy of civilisation,” the PM said as he vowed to crush Hamas just like ISIS.
Blinken vowed that the United States will “always” back Israel.
“You may be strong enough on your own to defend yourselves but as long as America exists you will never have to,” he said.
Meanwhile, Israel has blitzed two Syrian airports and left them unusable in response to fresh exchanges of fire across the border by terrorists.
The airports in both Aleppo and Damascus are “out of service” after the debilitating strikes from Israel as fears grow that Syria and Iran could enter the conflict.
Recent footage showed the airport in Aleppo burning after the strike earlier today, and the airport in Damascus has also been seriously hit.
The airstrikes were in response to new threats as militants in both Lebanon and Syria have launched rockets over the northern Israel border.
It has raised fears of the conflict opening up new fronts and spreading across the Middle East.
Mark Regev, a senior adviser to Netanyahu, told Sky News that Israel has been “concerned for some time” that Hezbollah could “escalate the situation”.
“We don’t want to see an escalation in the north, but if a two front war is forced upon us, we won’t be caught be surprise. We are prepared, we are ready and we will prevail,” he said.
“It is not easy, but no war is ever easy. We have been planning for the possibility… and we can fight, if need be, a two-front war.”
Yesterday, worries that Hezbollah had sent “hostile” aircraft into Israel were later debunked by Israeli Defence Forces.
