Fears of an all-out conflict between Israel and Hezbollah are mounting, as Sir Keir Starmer stated, “we are ramping up the contingency plans… in light of the escalation”.
Should an evacuation operation be mandated, the two British warships that are currently in the area would be mobilized. Helicopters and planes of the Royal Air Force are also in reserve.
RAF Akrotiri, a significant UK military installation in Cyprus, would serve as a crucial staging area.
It was anticipated that the military will deploy overnight, adding to the hundreds of soldiers currently stationed in Cyprus and ready for evacuation.
The action represents a major step up in the UK’s preparations for a possible large-scale evacuation operation, which has long been expected as a possibility given the unpredictability of the situation on the ground. The evacuation operation is complicated and perilous.
It was called “the first phase of its contingency plans following significant escalation between Israel and Hezbollah in recent days” in a statement from the government.
