Sky News: UK’s Whitehall confirms prior knowledge of Israeli strike on Iran

British officials in the Foreign Office and Ministry of Defence had prior knowledge of Israel’s planned strike against Iran, Whitehall sources revealed, though it remains uncertain whether the Israeli government formally informed the UK.

The UK was caught off guard, noting that Labour MP David Lammy only cancelled a scheduled US trip at short notice on the morning of the attacks. However, two separate Whitehall insiders have since confirmed that government officials were anticipating Israeli military action on June 12, Caliber.Az reports via Sky News.

Despite this, it is still unclear if the information was conveyed through official diplomatic channels or was obtained informally. A spokesperson for prime minister declined to comment on whether Sir Keir Starmer had any communications with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prior to the strikes.

On June 13, the military operation launched by Israel against key components of Iran’s nuclear and military infrastructure has escalated to a much harsher level. According to Israeli statements, the objective remains the complete elimination of the Islamic Republic’s capability to develop nuclear weapons.

According to the latest data, the Israeli Air Force has struck more than a hundred targets, deploying approximately 200 combat aircraft and over 330 precision-guided munitions, according to official figures. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) emphasises that this is a large-scale, coordinated operation targeting both military facilities and the nuclear programme infrastructure across the entire territory of Iran.

By Naila Huseynova