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    UK special forces training in Lebanon for potential Gaza entry | D-Notices Galore Archived Message

    Posted by sashimi on November 8, 2023, 11:26 am

    8 Nov 2023

    Lede: 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."
    -- https://new.thecradle.co/articles/uk-special-forces-training-in-lebanon-for-potential-gaza-entry

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