RAF shot down ‘a number of drones’ in Iran’s attack on Israel, PM confirms | Politics News

UK jets shot down “a number of drones” launched by Iran in its attack on Israel on Saturday night, Rishi Sunak has said.

The prime minister said “the fallout for regional stability would be hard to overstate” had Iran’s attack on Israel been successful.

He said: “Last night Iran launched a barrage of missiles and attack drones across the Middle East towards Israel.

“This is a dangerous and unnecessary escalation which I have condemned in the strongest terms.

“Thanks to an international co-ordinated effort, which the UK participated in, almost all of these missiles were intercepted, saving lives not just in Israel but in neighbouring countries like Jordan as well.”

Mr Sunak said that the UK sent “additional planes” to the region as part of operations already under way in Iraq and Syria.

“I can confirm that our planes did shoot down a number of Iranian attack drone,” he added.

Iran launched more than 300 drones and missiles in an “unprecedented” attack on Israel on Saturday night.

As a result, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said it had moved several RAF jets and air refuelling tankers to the region to “bolster Operation Shader” – the UK’s existing counter-Islamic State operation in Iraq and Syria.

Follow live updates of Iran’s attack on Israel

The MoD said the jets “will intercept any airborne attacks within range of our existing missions”.

However, it was not clear if any drones were shot down, with government minister Victoria Atkins saying on this morning’s media rounds that she is “not in a position to confirm or deny” it.

Mr Sunak is expected to join US President Joe Biden on a call with G7 leaders on Sunday amid fears of further escalation in the event of a possible Israeli counter-strike.

The drone attack marks the first time a direct military assault has been launched by Tehran on Israel despite decades enmity dating back to the country’s 1979 Islamic Revolution.

The development threatens to become a major regional escalation after years of shadow wars fought between the two foes as the war in Gaza inflames decades-old tensions in the Middle East.

Analysis:
Will Israel let an attack by Iran go unpunished? Probably not
All-out war, or not, in the Middle East?

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