Defence Secretary John Healey has met military personnel preparing for a potential evacuation of Britons from Lebanon with the Middle East teetering on the brink of wider war.
He has also thanked RAF personnel involved in the operation to protect Israel as it came under attack from a barrage of Iranian missiles.
Two Typhoon fighter jets, supported by a tanker aircraft, were involved in the operation although the Ministry of Defence said because of the nature of the attack, which involved ballistic missiles, “they did not engage any targets”.
The MoD said the aircraft “played an important part in wider deterrence and efforts to prevent further escalation”. Meanwhile a charter plane carrying Britons from Lebanon left Beirut, with further flights planned for tomorrow and over the coming days.
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