Latest news with #arms
BBC News
2 hours ago
- Business
- BBC News
Gaza war: Is the UK selling arms to Israel?
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy has condemned Israel's conduct in Gaza and said that Britain could "do more in the coming weeks" if the Israeli government does not change how it is pursuing the war in the expressed anger that the "international community has not been able to bring this war to an end" and said he was "sickened" by the killings of Palestinians at aid centres by Israeli forces in recent Israel began its military campaign in Gaza after the 7 October attacks, significant public attention has focused on the issue of assistance provided by the UK. Much of the weaponry used in Israel Defense Forces' (IDF) strikes on the strip has been built or sold by Western information around the extent of the UK's military support to Israel often remains unclear or classified, and some MPs have called for a public inquiry into the extent of the assistance. Does the UK supply Israel with arms? The UK is not one of Israel's main suppliers of arms. The US is by far the biggest seller - helping Israel develop one of the world's most advanced militaries - followed by Germany and 2015, the UK has approved arms export licences to Israel worth over £500m ($676.4m) - peaking in 2018, according to Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) pressure much of the attention around the UK's support for Israel has focussed on parts made in Britain for the F-35 jet. A state-of-the-art multi-role fighter, it has been used extensively by Israel to strike UK supplies between 13-15% of the components used in the jet, including ejector seats, rear fuselage, active interceptor systems, targeting lasers and weapon release the Labour Party came to power last year, it suspended 30 out of 350 arms export licences, affecting equipment such as parts for fighter jets, helicopters and drones. Any UK company that wants to sell arms abroad must apply for a licence, and the government said at the time that there was a "clear risk" the equipment could be used to commit serious violations of international crucially, parts for the F-35 were not included in the export ban. The government said it could not prevent Israel obtaining these components as they are sent to manufacturing centres abroad as part of a global programme - not directly to Israel. Professor Anna Stavrianakis, an expert in UK Arms Export, described the government's decision to allow for this exemption as "an enormous loophole"."UK-made parts for the F-35 mostly go to the USA, where they are incorporated into jets bound for Israel," she told BBC Verify, noting that because the White House "does not want to stop supporting Israel", the UK export bans were quite limited in their UK also co-developed the Hermes drone, which has been widely used in Gaza. While the UK version of the aircraft, called the Watchkeeper 450, is unarmed, the Israeli-made Hermes drone can be armed with Spike missiles and was reportedly used in the attack that killed seven World Central Kitchen aid workers last is hard to say what the UK is still exporting to Israel under the active licences. Foreign Secretary David Lammy said last year that the ban was not a "blanket ban or an arms embargo" and said it remained essential that Israel could defend itself from to the Department of Business and Trade, 161 of the extant licences relate to military products.A UK Parliament report said that the remaining licences could include "items such as trainer aircraft and naval equipment, and dual-use items for civilian use in telecoms and data equipment". Has the UK shared intelligence with Israel? The extent to which the UK has shared intelligence with Israel since the 7 October attacks is unclear. The government has a long-standing "defence partnership with Israel" which defence officials say includes "education, joint training and capability development".The Royal Air Force (RAF) has flown hundreds of surveillance flights over Gaza since December 2023, reportedly using Shadow R1 spy planes based at an RAF base in Akrotiri in nearby an interview on Monday, Lammy insisted that the RAF flights over Gaza have not led to the sharing of any military intelligence with the IDF."It would be quite wrong for the British government to assist in the prosecution of this war in Gaza," the foreign secretary said. "We are not doing that." In 2023 the UK acknowledged that some of its "unarmed" drones circling over the strip were aiding in the search for Israeli hostages taken by Hamas during the 7 October attacks. There are 50 people still held by Hamas, with 20 believed to be Forces Minister Luke Pollard reaffirmed that stance in April 2025, telling MPs that UK drone flights over Gaza were being conducted with the "sole purpose of locating hostages".The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has refused to comment on whether Israeli aircraft have access to the RAF's base in Cyprus. But BBC Verify also identified Israeli Air Force planes in UK airspace over the past year after reports in the independent outlet DropSite. Several Re'em refuelling planes appeared on specialised flight tracking sites over RAF bases at Brize Norton and MoD spokesperson told BBC Verify: "It is standard practice to routinely authorise requests for limited numbers of allies and partners to access the UK's air bases.""We cannot comment on or provide information relating to foreign nations' military aircraft movements or operations," the spokesperson added. Are Israeli troops training in the UK? The UK often runs training courses for the militaries of allied nations, many of which focus on leadership, logistics and cyber-operations. For example, thousands of Ukrainian troops have come to Britain since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022 for basic Coaker - a minister of state at the UK MoD - said in April that "fewer than 10" IDF personnel have been trained on non-combat military academic courses in the UK every year since declined to say exactly how many IDF troops had taken part in courses over that time, or what classes they had taken "in order to protect personal information". But ministers have insisted that the courses emphasise the importance of complying with international humanitarian Forces Minister Luke Pollard confirmed in June that "a limited number of Israel Defense Forces personnel" were taking part in UK-based training courses, but declined to offer further details. Has the UK sanctioned Israel for its actions in Gaza? The UK's approach to holding Israel accountable for its campaign in Gaza changed after the general election in 2024. The new Labour government dropped the government's opposition to arrest warrants issued for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant by the International Criminal Court (ICC).Since then, it has become more vocal in its criticism of Israeli leaders, and joined 27 other nations this week in condemning the "inhumane killing of civilians" seeking food and water in the Labour government suspended talks to upgrade its free trade agreement with Israel in May, with Lammy calling the Israeli treatment of Palestinians "an affront to the values of the British people".But while the government has sanctioned two far-right Israeli ministers for "inciting violence" in the occupied West Bank, it has yet to impose any sanctions on Israel directly for its actions in Gaza, which have killed at least 59,029 people according to the Hamas-run health ministry. What do you want BBC Verify to investigate?
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
U.N. report cites 'flagrant' violations by Russia and North Korea
July 17 (UPI) -- Russian and North Korean officials violated U.N. resolutions regarding arms, troops and refined petroleum shipments throughout 2024 and beyond, a U.N. report says. Evidence shows North Korea many times shipped arms and material to Russia, which trained North Korean troops for combat against Ukrainian forces, Seth Bailey, the U.S. State Department's director for Korean and Mongolian Affairs, told U.N. members on Thursday. In exchange, Russia shipped refined petroleum products, military equipment and military technology to North Korea, Bailey said. The actions by both nations violate U.N. resolutions, as outlined in a 29-page U.N. report compiled by its Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team and published on May 29. The report focuses on illegal military cooperation between North Korea and Russia and says the "rapid expansion of military, political and economic cooperation' between the two nations has caused "ongoing flagrant violations" of U.N. Security Council resolutions. "Throughout 2024, North Korea and Russia engaged in myriad unlawful activities explicitly prohibited" by the United Nations, the report says. The violations include the transfer of arms and material, including artillery, ballistic missiles and combat vehicles, from North Korea to Russia via sea, air and rail. North Korea also sent troops to Russia, which the Russian military trained for direct support in its war against Ukraine, according to the report. Russia also has shipped refined petroleum products to North Korea that "far exceed the yearly United Nations Security Council-mandated cap," with payments processed via banking relations between Russia and North Korea. "These forms of unlawful cooperation between [North Korea]and Russia contributed to Moscow's ability to increase its missile attacks against Ukrainian cities, including targeted strikes against critical civilian infrastructure," the report says. Russia's assistance has enabled North Korea to fund its military programs and continue developing its ballistic missiles program, which is banned by the United Nations. North Korea also "gains first-hand experience in modern warfare in return for its military support to Russia against Ukraine," the report says. Such military support includes the deployment of 11,000 North Korean troops to Russia since October. "The official confirmation of North Korean military support to Russia by both governments in April 2025 suggests that, at least for the foreseeable future, North Korea and Russia intend to continue and further deepen their military cooperation in contravention of relevant UNSCRs," according to the report. Solve the daily Crossword
Arab News
5 days ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Russia says Trump's new weapons pledge a signal for Ukraine to abandon peace efforts
MOSCOW: US President Donald Trump's decision to ramp up arms shipments to Ukraine is a signal to Kyiv to abandon peace efforts, Russia said on Thursday, vowing it would not accept the 'blackmail' of Washington's new sanctions ultimatum. Trump announced a toughened stance on Russia's war in Ukraine on Monday, setting a 50-day deadline for Moscow to reach a ceasefire or face sanctions. The US also promised more missiles and other weaponry for Kyiv. Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, condemned the move. 'It is obvious that the Kyiv regime consistently perceives such decisions by the collective West as a signal to continue the slaughter and abandon the peace process,' Zakharova told a news briefing in Moscow. Russia's all-out war against Ukraine in February, 2022, has led to Europe's bloodiest conflict since World War Two, with the United States estimating that 1.2 million people have been injured or killed. Moscow says it was forced to launch the war to protect itself from an expanding NATO. Ukraine and most Western governments call Russia's war a colonial-style land grab. Russian forces now control around one fifth of Ukrainian territory and are slowly but steadily advancing across a vast frontline, sustaining what the US believes are heavy losses along the way. Trump, who has made ending the conflict a priority of his administration, is threatening '100 percent tariffs on Russia' and secondary sanctions on countries that buy Russian oil if Moscow does not agree to a ceasefire deal by his 50-day deadline. 'An unprecedented number of sanctions and restrictions have been imposed on our country and our international partners. There are so many of them that we view the threat of new sanctions as mundane,' Zakharova said. 'The language of ultimatums, blackmail, and threats is unacceptable to us. We will take all necessary steps to ensure the security and protect the interests of our country.' 'PROXY WAR' Both Russia's President Vladimir Putin and Trump have repeatedly cautioned over the escalatory risks of the conflict, which they cast as a proxy war between the world's two biggest nuclear powers. US efforts to broker peace negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow, however, have faced repeated setbacks. Russia says it is ready to hold further talks, but has made it clear it wants all of the territory of four Ukrainian regions it has claimed as its own — terms which Ukraine say are unacceptable and would amount to a capitulation. Moscow is also keen to revive its battered bilateral relationship with the United States if possible, though Trump's latest moves on Ukraine have soured the atmosphere. Trump said on Monday that he was 'very unhappy' and 'disappointed' with Putin and cast his decision to send more arms to Ukraine as intended to jolt Russia toward peace. Reuters reported on Tuesday that Putin intends to keep fighting in Ukraine until the West engages on his terms for peace, unfazed by threats of tougher sanctions, and that his territorial demands may widen as Russian forces advance. Earlier on Thursday, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said that Russia had no plans to attack NATO or Europe. But he said it should respond and, if necessary, launch preemptive strikes if it believed the West was escalating what he cast as its full-scale war against Russia. 'We need to act accordingly. To respond in full. And if necessary, launch preemptive strikes,' Medvedev was quoted as saying. The remarks by Medvedev, reported in full by the TASS state news agency, indicate that Moscow sees the confrontation with the West over Ukraine escalating after Trump's latest decisions. 'What is happening today is a proxy war, but in essence it is a full-scale war (launches of Western missiles, satellite intelligence, etc.), sanctions packages, loud statements about the militarization of Europe,' Medvedev said, according to TASS.
Wall Street Journal
6 days ago
- Politics
- Wall Street Journal
This New Missile-Defense System Is Challenging the Patriot
The Patriot air-defense system is lauded by militaries around the world for its ability to shoot down deadly drones and missiles. Now, a new version of a European weapon is set to challenge its dominance and test whether the region can wean itself off U.S. arms.
Russia Today
6 days ago
- Business
- Russia Today
Italy won't buy US arms for Ukraine
Italy's budget doesn't allow it to participate in US President Donald Trump's plan to supply American arms to Ukraine, the Italian newspaper La Stampa reports, citing anonymous sources. On Monday, Trump authorized new weapons deliveries to Ukraine, given that European NATO members provide funding, calling it a 'very big deal.' La Stampa said in an article on Wednesday that the strategy of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who has already agreed to purchase several Patriot surface-to-air missile systems for Ukraine, 'will not be pursued by Italy.' According to the paper's sources, Rome will be opting out of the scheme 'not only because our weapon systems already handed over to Kiev have other technological configurations, but above all because – unlike Germany – the budget that Italy can allocate to such an operation is practically non-existent.' The only arms purchase from the US currently planned by Italy is the delivery of a batch of F35 fighter jets scheduled for the 2030s, the sources added. Politico reported on Tuesday, citing two French officials, that Paris would not be purchasing US weapons for Kiev as France is looking to invest in its own defense industry to meet European security needs. The same day, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala told Publico outlet that Prague is also currently 'not considering' joining the initiative. The country 'is focusing on other… ways to help Ukraine,' he explained. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas earlier welcomed Trump's pledge to send more weapons to Ukraine, but urged Washington to 'share the burden' in terms of financing the deliveries. Washington, meanwhile, has threatened to impose secondary US tariffs of up to 100% on Russia's trading partners unless progress toward a peace agreement between Moscow and Kiev is made within 50 days. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday that it is hard to predict how effective the weapons financing scheme would turn out due to Western Europe's 'emotional state bordering on inadequacy' over the Ukraine conflict. European NATO members appear to be ready 'to spend countless amounts of money on purchasing weapons in order to further provoke the continuation of the war,' he said.
