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UK Has No Plans to Join US Navy's Operations Off Israeli Coast - Reports

© AP Photo / Petros KaradjiasThe UK's newest aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth in the Mediterranean Sea on Sunday, June 20, 2021.
The UK's newest aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth in the Mediterranean Sea on Sunday, June 20, 2021.  - Sputnik International, 1920, 13.04.2024
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MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The United Kingdom has no plans of joining the US Navy in military operations off the coast of Israel amid potential Iranian retaliatory strikes, although London has two warships deployed in the region, The Telegraph reported, citing a source in the country's navy.
The UK's HMS Diamond, a Type 45 destroyer, is operating in the Red Sea off Yemen’s coast, while HMS Lancaster is deployed in the Arabian Sea, the source added.
The United States is ready to help Israel intercept any strikes launched against the country in the coming days, CNN reported on Friday, adding that Washington expects Iran to strike multiple targets in Israel.
Also, a US defense official told Sputnik the US military was moving additional assets to the Middle East to bolster deterrence and force protection ahead of an anticipated Iranian retaliatory strike against Israel. Earlier in the day, The Wall Street Journal reported that the US had redeployed at least two warships in order to reinforce protection for Israel.
US President Joe Biden has warned Iran not to attack Israel, but noted that he expected Iran's retaliation to come "sooner rather than later." Biden stressed that the US was committed to Israel's defense and that Iran would not succeed.
Abu Mahdi anti-ship cruise missile on display at a ceremony in Parchin, Iran. File photo. - Sputnik International, 1920, 12.04.2024
Military
Iran Warns It Will Attack US Forces in Mideast If It Helps Defend Israel - Reports
Tehran reportedly warned Washington that it would attack US forces in the Middle East if the United States got involved in a military confrontation between Iran and Israel.
Earlier in the week, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said that his country was ready to defend itself against Iran's looming attack on the ground and in the air in close cooperation with partners. The statement came amid threats from Tehran to retaliate against Israel for the April 1 airstrike on the consular annex building adjacent to the Iranian Embassy in Damascus. The attack destroyed the building and killed seven members of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards, including two generals.
Iran has said it reserves the right to retaliate against Israel. A US State Department spokesperson said on Thursday that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had called his Chinese, Turkish and Saudi counterparts asking them to urge Tehran "not to escalate."
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