Palestine Activists Break Into UK's Largest Air Base, Deface 2 Aircraft
Pro-Palestinian activists broke into the UK's largest air force base in southeast England and vandalised two planes in an act condemned by Prime Minister Keir Starmer as "disgraceful" on Friday.
"The act of vandalism committed at RAF Brize Norton is disgraceful," Starmer said on X after campaign group Palestine Action posted a video claiming to show its activist breaking into the Royal Air Force base in Oxfordshire.
In the video posted on X, the activists appear to spray a plane with red paint while roaming the base on scooters.
"Palestine Action break into RAF Brize Norton and damage two military aircraft," claimed the group, which has been behind several stunts protesting the UK's role in the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
"We strongly condemn this vandalism of Royal Air Force assets. We are working closely with the police who are investigating," the Ministry of Defence said.
Local police said they launched an investigation into reports of "criminal damage" and a break-in.
RAF Brize Norton serves as a hub for air-to-air refuelling forces and supports overseas operations, including flights to the RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, Britain's largest air force base in the Middle East.
According to British media, one of the planes vandalised was an Airbus Voyager air-to-air refuelling tanker.
"Despite publicly condemning the Israeli Government, Britain continues to send military cargo, fly spy planes over Gaza and refuel US/Israeli fighter jets," Palestine Action said in a statement.
"Britain isn't just complicit, it's an active participant in the Gaza genocide and war crimes across the Middle East."
Last month, the group claimed responsibility for vandalising a US military aircraft in Ireland.
Starmer's Labour government suspended around 30 out of 350 arms export licenses to Israel last September, citing a "risk" they could be used in violations of international law.
But the UK continues to supply components for F-35 fighter jets to a global pool that Israel is able to access.
Israel has repeatedly denied allegations that it is committing a genocide in Gaza during its 20-month-long military campaign following Hamas's attack on October 7, 2023.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
29 minutes ago
- Time of India
'$12 billion a month': The cost of Israel's daily strikes and defence against Iran - war at a premium
Israel is spending hundreds of millions of dollars each day in its escalating conflict with Iran, with the cost of interceptors, munitions, air operations, and infrastructure damage mounting rapidly, according to The Wall Street Journal. The daily military expenditure could run as high as $200 million just for missile interceptions, with broader operational costs and infrastructure damage driving that figure significantly higher. Experts estimate that rebuilding damage caused by Iranian missile strikes could alone cost Israel at least $400 million. Former Bank of Israel governor Karnit Flug warned that while the economy may absorb the costs of a short conflict, a prolonged war could be far more damaging. 'If it is a week, it is one thing,' she said. 'If it is two weeks or a month, it is a very different story.' The financial toll is being driven in large part by the heavy use of Israel's air defence systems. The David's Sling system, used to intercept short- and long-range threats, costs around $700,000 per activation when firing its minimum of two interceptors. The Arrow 3 system, designed to stop long-range ballistic missiles, costs around $4 million per interception, while Arrow 2 costs approximately $3 million, according to military analyst Yehoshua Kalisky. The conflict has seen more than 400 Iranian missiles fired at Israel in recent days, most of which required interception. The cost of deploying fighter jets—particularly F-35s—adds further pressure. Each hour of flight costs around $10,000 per aircraft. The cost of fuel, munitions like JDAMs and MK84s, and logistics for long-range missions all contribute to Israel's spiralling war bill. Zvi Eckstein, head of the Aaron Institute for Economic Policy, noted that 'per day, it is much more expensive than the war in Gaza or with Hezbollah,' citing the overwhelming burden of ammunition and interceptor usage. His institute estimates that a one-month war with Iran could cost Israel around $12 billion. Despite the sharp military spending, Israel's economy has not entered recession. However, disruptions are widespread. Civilian life has slowed, with many businesses—including restaurants—closed, and only essential workers reporting to duty. The country's main international airport was shut for several days before partially reopening for return flights. On Monday, S&P Global released a risk assessment of the Israel-Iran conflict but left Israel's credit outlook unchanged. Surprisingly, Israeli stock markets rose on Wednesday, with investors betting on the resilience of the economy and a possible swift end to the hostilities. Economists point to Israel's past ability to weather prolonged conflicts, including the 20-month war in Gaza. However, the destruction inflicted by Iranian missile attacks is severe. Structural engineer Eyal Shalev said the damage caused by large ballistic missiles is worse than anything seen in recent conflicts. Hundreds of buildings have been destroyed or heavily damaged, with repair costs expected to run into the hundreds of millions. Meanwhile, Ynet News also reported that Brigadier General (res.) Re'em Aminach, a former senior defence official and IDF financial consultant, estimated that Israel spent about $1.45 billion during the initial two days of combat. Of this, around $593 million went toward offensive operations, such as airstrikes and flight hours, and the rest to defensive measures like missile interception and reservist mobilisation. 'These are direct costs only,' Aminach said. 'The indirect costs — including impact on GDP — cannot be measured at this stage.' The finance ministry has already lowered its GDP growth forecast for 2025 from 4.3% to 3.6% and warned that the existing emergency reserve, mostly depleted by the war in Gaza, does not account for a concurrent conflict with Iran. Israel's deficit ceiling for the year is 4.9% of GDP, or roughly $27.6 billion, which could now be under pressure as the war drags on.
News18
33 minutes ago
- News18
Russia Proposed Plan To End Iran-Israel Conflict, Putin Says He Informed Trump, Netanyahu
Last Updated: Kremlin warns region is sliding into war, says ready to mediate as nuclear plant fears grow. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that he has personally shared Moscow's proposal to resolve the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict with three key figures: US President Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian. However, he was quick to clarify that he is not seeking to mediate. 'I spoke with Netanyahu, Pezeshkian and Trump, key players in this situation," Putin said. 'I shared Russia's vision for resolving the conflict. I hope our proposals will be implemented". 'We are not seeking to mediate, we are just proposing ideas. And if they are attractive to both countries, we'll be happy about it…Now our proposals are also being discussed, we have contacts with our Iranian friends almost on a daily basis, so let's see," he further added. Putin also noted that Israel's large Russian-speaking population factored into Moscow's concerns. 'Israel today is almost a Russian-speaking country. A large number of people from the USSR live there. Moscow takes this into account," he said. I spoke with Netanyahu, Pezeshkian, and Trump, key players in this situation — Putin'I shared Russia's vision for resolving the conflict. I hope our proposals will be implemented' #SPIEF — RT (@RT_com) June 20, 2025 The comments come as the Kremlin issued a broader warning about the spiraling crisis in West Asia. 'The region is plunging into an abyss of instability and war," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday, adding that the situation carries the risk of 'geographic expansion and unpredictable consequences." Russia, which maintains ties with both Tehran and Tel Aviv, has called for restraint from all sides and urged the United States not to launch strikes on Iran. Moscow has also pushed for a diplomatic resolution to tensions around Tehran's nuclear programme. Nuclear safety concerns also came to the fore after Israel briefly claimed on Thursday that it had struck Iran's Bushehr nuclear plant, before retracting the statement. Russia's nuclear energy chief Alexei Likhachev warned that any such attack could cause a 'Chernobyl-style disaster." Likhachev, who heads Rosatom, said on Friday the plant remained 'normal" and under control. 'We very much hope that all our signals from yesterday reached the Israeli leadership," he said. According to him, over 300 Russian specialists are currently stationed at the site, along with their family members. This brings the total Russian presence at Bushehr to around 500. First Published: June 20, 2025, 23:08 IST
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
35 minutes ago
- First Post
‘We will not stop': Israel tells UN Security Council it will press on until Iran's nuclear threat is eliminated
'We will not stop. Not until Iran's nuclear threat is dismantled, not until its war machine is disarmed, not until our people and yours are safe,' said Israeli UN Ambassador Danny Danon during a UN Security Council session on Friday read more Israel's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Danny Danon speaks during a meeting of the United Nations Security Council, about the conflict between Israel and Iran, at UN headquarters in New York City, US., on Friday. Reuters Israel on Friday made it amply clear that strikes against Iran would continue until its nuclear threat is eliminated, even as Iran asserted its right to defend itself against Israel. 'We will not stop,' Reuters quoted Israeli UN Ambassador Danny Danon as saying during a UN Security Council session on Friday. 'Not until Iran's nuclear threat is dismantled, not until its war machine is disarmed, not until our people and yours are safe,' Danon added. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Iran's UN Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani urged the Security Council to take action. 'Israel apparently declared that it will continue this strike for as many days as it takes. We are alarmed by credible report that the United States… may be joining this war,' he was quoted as saying. A week into their conflict, Israel and Iran exchanged strikes again on Friday as President Donald Trump delayed a decision on joining the fight and European ministers raced to revive diplomacy in Geneva. Trump said he would wait two weeks before deciding on US military involvement, which could include strikes on Iran's fortified Fordo nuclear site using 'bunker-buster' bombs. Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had vowed that operations would continue 'for as long as it takes' to eliminate the threat of a nuclear-armed Iran. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, en route to Geneva, ruled out talks with the US while Israeli attacks persisted. 'It is the Americans who want talks,' AP quoted him as saying on state TV. 'They've sent messages several times — very serious ones — but we made it explicitly clear to them that as long as this aggression and invasion continue, there is absolutely no room for talk or diplomacy,' Araghchi added. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Israeli jets struck multiple military targets in Iran on Friday, including missile production sites. Ahead of the Geneva talks, French President Emmanuel Macron said European envoys would present Iran with a 'comprehensive, diplomatic and technical offer of negotiation.' 'We need to regain control on (Iran's nuclear) program through technical expertise and negotiation," AP quoted him as saying. Under the 2015 nuclear deal, Iran agreed to cap uranium enrichment and allow international inspections in exchange for sanctions relief. But after President Trump withdrew the US from the pact, Iran ramped up enrichment to 60%, just below weapons-grade, and curbed inspector access. Despite ongoing Geneva talks, Iran continued striking Israel on Friday. Missiles hit the northern city of Haifa, injuring at least 19 and sending smoke over the port. The Israel-Iran war, which began on June 13 with Israeli strikes on nuclear and military sites, has killed at least 657 people in Iran, including 263 civilians, and wounded over 2,000, according to a Washington-based Iranian rights group. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In response, Iran has launched 450 missiles and 1,000 drones at Israel. Most were intercepted, but at least 24 Israelis have died and hundreds more have been injured, according to the Israeli military. With inputs from agencies
