Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Netanyahu: If Lebanese Army takes steps to disarm Hezbollah, Israel will engage in reciprocal measures, including phased reduction of Israeli military presence in Lebanon
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Photojournalist Houssam Al-Masri martyred, reporters Hatem Omar, Mohammad Ashraf Salameh injured in Israeli strike on Nasser Medical Complex.
Israeli media: Intense US efforts are being made to resolve differences, such as the issue of the Israeli presence on Mount Hermon and in southern Syria
Israeli media: The security agreement means amending the disengagement agreement, which will also address the Druze issue
Israeli media: Attempts to reach a security agreement between 'Israel' and Syria were among the topics discussed at the Paris meeting
Israeli media: Sheikh Muwaffaq Tarif rejected a US proposal to join the recent tripartite meeting between Tom Barrack, al-Shaibani, and Dermer
Saba News Agency: Two martyred, five injured in a preliminary toll of the Israeli aggression on the Yemeni Oil Company station on Al-Sitteen Street in Sanaa
Senior Yemeni military source to Al Mayadeen: We observed a state of confusion among the enemy's aircraft squadron after Yemeni air defenses intercepted the attack
Senior Yemeni military source to Al Mayadeen: The Yemeni air defense forces succeeded in neutralizing a squadron of enemy aircraft and prevented airstrikes on some governorates
Senior Yemeni military source to Al Mayadeen: Our air defenses and missile forces forced a formation of enemy aircraft to flee the airspace

Declassified UK uncovers UK 60 flights to 'Israel' during war on Gaza

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: DeclassifiedUK
  • 29 May 2024 20:04
  • 10 Shares
3 Min Read

The purpose of these flights remains unclear, though the MoD stated they were allegedly used for diplomatic engagements with "Israel," without providing specifics.

Listen
  • x
  • Jackal 2 Reconnaissance vehicles drive off the Royal Air Force (RAF) ATLAS C.1 (A400M) aircraft. Photo: Cpl Aaron J Stone/UK Ministry of Defence
    Jackal 2 Reconnaissance vehicles drive off the Royal Air Force (RAF) ATLAS C.1 (A400M) aircraft (UK Ministry of Defence)

An investigation conducted by Declassified UK revealed on Wednesday that since the start of the war on Gaza, the UK's military has conducted 60 flights to "Israel."

The report notes that these flights primarily departed from RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, and their majority occurred within the first four months of the genocide.

The Ministry of Defense (MoD) confirmed 48 flights between October 2023 and February 2024, with an additional 11 flights until early May. There were no recorded flights to "Israel" from RAF Akrotiri in the six months preceding October 7.

The purpose of these flights remains unclear, though the MoD claimed they were used for diplomatic engagements with "Israel," without providing specifics.

The lack of transparency has garnered attention, especially since the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Security Minister Yoav Gallant.

When pressed for details on cargo and personnel transported, the MoD's responses were evasive.

The MoD responses mentioned transporting officials, UK Armed Forces personnel, and medical supplies but refused to elaborate on the nature of "defense engagement" or provide specific numbers of military personnel transported.

This lack of transparency contrasts with past revelations of the UK's deployment of 500 extra troops to Cyprus following the onset of the war on Gaza.

Related News

FMs of Iran, Egypt push for Muslim unity, action to stop Gaza genocide

Saudi Arabia condemns Gaza famine as failure to deter 'Israel'

Read more: US, UK using Cyprus base near Gaza without Cypriot gov. knowledge

The MoD further declined to disclose the origins of its flights to "Israel", but independent verification has revealed that 36 military transport vehicles departed from RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus to Tel Aviv.

Among these were six C-17A Globemaster III aircraft and 30 A400M Atlas C1 planes.

The C-17 can transport personnel and various military equipment, while the A400M can carry fully-equipped troops and equipment, including helicopters.

This suggests that the UK military might have transported up to 4,300 personnel to "Israel" from RAF Akrotiri alone.

Speculation arises regarding the potential involvement of British special forces, particularly the Special Air Service (SAS), which allegedly stood by in Cyprus for operations related to rescuing British captives held in Gaza or aiding Britons trapped in Gaza.

However, the UK military's "D-Notice" committee, responsible for preventing the publication of information deemed harmful to national security, requested media editors not to disclose any details about SAS operations in Gaza.

The MoD stressed that no RAF flights to "Israel" transported arms, reiterating their purpose as supporting the UK's diplomatic engagement and assisting in the departure of British nationals.

Moreover, the UK conducted 11 airdrops over northern Gaza, delivering over 100 tonnes of essential aid for Palestinians, indicating a means of covering British complicity in Israeli war crimes.

Read more: UK refuses to say if IOF bombers using its Cyprus base

  • genocide in Gaza
  • war on Gaza
  • Israel
  • Cyprus
  • UK
  • United Kingdom
  • RAF Akrotiri
War on Gaza

War on Gaza

Most Read

Tom Artiom Alexandrovich, executive director of the defense division of the Israeli National Cyber Directorate, undated (Social media)

Israeli-born US prosecutor drops Israeli officer child sex crime

  • Politics
  • 19 Aug 2025
Displaced Palestinians walk through a makeshift camp along the beach in Gaza City, Sunday, Aug. 10, 2025 (AP)

Hamas, other factions accept Egypt-Qatar ceasefire proposal: Exclusive

  • Politics
  • 18 Aug 2025
Israeli soldiers stand on the top of armoured vehicles parked on an area near the Israeli-Gaza border, as seen from southern Israel, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025 (AP)

Palestinian fighters target Israeli soldiers, vehicles in Gaza

  • Politics
  • 21 Aug 2025
Almost instantly after the Helsinki Accords were signed, organisations sprouted to document purported violations, whose findings were fed to overseas embassies for international amplification. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zeinab el-Hajj)

How ‘Human Rights’ became a Western weapon

  • Opinion
  • 23 Aug 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a press conference at the Prime minister's office in al-Quds, Occupied Palestine, Sunday, Aug. 10, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Netanyahu deliberately derailing truce with Gaza occupation: Hamas

Irish President Michael Higgins arrives to deliver his speech during a 42nd World Food Day celebration at FAO headquarters in Rome, on Oct. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Politics

Irish president renews call for UN military intervention in Gaza

US Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack speaks during an interview with The Associated Press at the US Embassy in Aukar, northern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Monday, July 21, 2025 (AP)
Politics

US envoy, Netanyahu discuss restraining attacks on Lebanon, withdrawal

Smoke billows following Israeli airstrikes in multiple areas in Sanaa, Yemen, Sunday, Aug. 24, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Ansar Allah vow sustained Gaza support despite Israeli strikes

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS