RAF personnel in Cyprus worked 19-hour days to support Israel's defence, Healey says

Members of the Royal Air Force worked 19-hour days as Typhoon fighter jets were involved in the defence of Israel, the Defence Secretary has said.

Speaking to BFBS Forces News, John Healey said he visited some of the RAF personnel in Cyprus who underlined "they know their job". 

"They do their job day to day, but they are also ready to scramble at very short notice to put in, as some did, 19 hours a day to get planes in the air and to be ready to respond to the changing circumstances," he said.

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Mr Healey said the tasking was to "reinforce the moves to try and prevent wider escalation in the region", but also show the UK's "continuing support for Israel's right to self-defence".

The MOD had previously confirmed the role of the aircraft, but added that "due to the nature of this attack, they did not engage any targets".

It comes after Iran launched a missile attack aimed at Israel, although Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said most were shot down.

The Defence Secretary also said, having spoken to UK personnel in Cyprus, there is a "plan in place" to evacuate British nationals from Lebanon.

"We are ready to go if needed," he said. "But for now, our advice to any Brits in Lebanon has not changed – it's get out. 

"And as a government, we are booking extra seats on the commercial flights that are leaving Beirut airport.

"Today is the first time we've got a specially chartered UK commercial flight available for those who want to leave and are ready to leave."

He added: "And we would encourage them to do that."

Finally, Mr Healey said Typhoon crews have been in Cyprus, working in the Middle East, for more than a decade as part of Operation Shader, the UK's contribution to the fight against the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.

Mr Healey said it was important the UK signals "a concern about regional stability [and] a role in preventing wider escalation".

However, he also said it was important to "say to our allies in the region, Israel and the Gulf states, that we want to see, long-term, a settled, peaceful Middle East, because that's in the interests of all".