Israel warned Britain about a pending operation by Iran-sponsored agents at a major US airbase in the UK, the country’s President has claimed.
In an interview with the BBC, Isaac Herzog said he agreed with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s assessment that Iran was plotting an RAF Fairford-style incident. “We gave the Brits the intel that there was going to be an attack, an Iranian-sponsored attack, and pretty much the next day they slapped sanctions on us,” Mr Netanyahu had said.
The UK government announced last month it was imposing sanctions on all goods coming out of what it deemed illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.
On Wednesday, UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham revealed that Tehran’s was behind last week's incident. Five men were arrested near the perimeter of the base and have since been released on bail while investigations continue.
“I confirm that I agree with PM Netanyahu on this issue,” Mr Herzog said, when asked if Iran was involved in the Fairford incident.
Despite the diplomatic rift between the two countries, particularly after Britain announced sanctions against Israeli West Bank settlers, it appears some level of intelligence sharing continues.
With its Mossad foreign intelligence service understood to have significant human intelligence sources inside the Tehran regime, it could well have had advanced warning of the alleged plot that it apparently passed on to MI6.
“We have excellent co-operation on the intelligence level, with high mutual respect,” said Mr Herzog. “No one wants to hurt national security interests. It should be left alone without judgmental action.”
His comments suggest Israel has some level of security co-operation with Britain, but as the incident involved a strategic US airbase used to bomb Iran, Israel would also want to protect its closest ally.
US President Donald Trump said the suspects had been “under view” by British and American authorities for some time, while Marco Rubio, US Secretary of State, said foreign actors were “clearly” involved.
In an interview with Fox News, Mr Netanyahu, furious about the UK sanctions, said Israel had passed intelligence to London about an impending Iranian-sponsored attack.
Asked about the diplomatic rift, in which the Israeli embassy boycotted the Labour Friends of Israel event at this week’s party conference, Mr Herzog criticised the UK position on sanctions: “Unfortunately the diplomatic level has been hampered by the UK government. We were extremely offended by it.
“We were offended because we have very strong relations and affinity with Britain. We were extremely insulted and it was not necessary. This ongoing bashing against Israel is unfair and should not have happened. I hope we get back on track in due course.”
'Strong indications' Iran
Mr Burnham said on Wednesday there were “strong indications” Iran had a role in the incident at Fairford airbase, though it is still unclear whether the five British men who were arrested were intent on carrying out a terrorist attack.
“There are strong indications that Iran played a part in what happened over the weekend at RAF Fairford, but of course it remains an ongoing, complex and serious police investigation,” Mr Burnham said. British security chiefs were also “working closely with our colleagues in the United States of America” in the ongoing investigation.
“We are on top of it in every possible way imaginable,” the UK Prime Minister added. While he said he could not go into details, “obviously I wouldn't say it lightly” about Iran’s involvement.
It has also been disclosed that one of the five suspects actually raised the alarm himself, further clouding the motivations behind the incident.
There are now several strands to the plot that counter-terrorism police are investigating, ranging from the men being petrol smugglers to alleged Iran proxies seeking to blow up a US airbase.
While the five men from Britain in their 20s arrested on Sunday outside RAF Fairford, which is used by US bombers in the Iran conflict, have all been released on bail, they remain under investigation.
