UK special forces training in Lebanon for potential Gaza entry
A British military official told lawmakers this week that the presence of UK forces near the occupied Palestinian territories also aims to ‘deter Iran’ from joining the war
Elite UK forces have been undergoing training in Lebanon to prepare for potential “rescue missions” aimed at retrieving British citizens held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
“Hundreds of elite UK troops are training in Lebanon to rescue Britons trapped in the Middle East warzone," the Daily Mail reported on 7 November, adding that the operations “could include saving Britons trapped in Gaza.”
“Clearly, there is a prospect, if the conflict does expand, of a non-combatant extraction operation. We are posturing ourselves for that. We are [also] exploiting the network we have, so, for example, we have our special operations forces, the Rangers, in Lebanon. They have built up a very close relationship with Lebanese armed forces,” UK Chief of General Staff Patrick Sanders told British MPs in the House of Commons defense committee on Tuesday.
“That provides an insight and influence on Lebanese decision-making and seeing things from the other side of the northern border, which clearly concerns Israel.”
The UK general added that London seeks to reassure allied countries and launch humanitarian operations, such as aid delivery and the establishment of field hospitals.
British forces are unlikely to be “drawn into combat or conflict” and are looking to “avert that,” he said.
Sanders said that “an airlift could be mounted alongside Lebanon's air assault troops who have trained with British airborne forces,” according to Daily Mail.
He also said that the nearby presence of British forces aims to deter Iran from joining the war between Israel and Hamas.
Daily Mail also cites British concerns that UK citizens “in countries such as Lebanon could be taken hostage by the likes of Iran-backed Hezbollah.”
At least 12 UK nationals were reportedly killed during Operation Al-Aqsa Flood on 7 October, and five are being held prisoner by the Gaza resistance.
UK Justice Secretary Alex Chalk told Sky News on 7 October that three Britons are believed to still be in captivity inside Gaza. He added that around 100 British nationals have been able to leave Gaza.
British Special Forces may already be playing a role in assisting Israel in Gaza. The UK government has recently issued notices to the media to suppress reports of the operations of the Special Air Service (SAS) in Gaza.
On 28 October, the Socialist Worker, the newspaper of the Socialist Workers Party, revealed it had been sent a “D Notice” from the Defense and Security Media Advisory (DSMA) Committee requesting it not publish information relating to the operations of the SAS.
The British state uses D Notices to veto news publications that can damage its interests.
Sanders’ comments to the defense committee come as US military officials are working closely with Israel to coordinate the ongoing Israeli ground invasion of the Gaza Strip.
US special forces have been coordinating with Israeli troops for the ground assault. Former Pentagon Advisor Douglas MacGregor confirmed in an interview late last month that a US special force entered Gaza with Israeli troops and suffered heavy casualties after being “shot to pieces.”