Netanyahu's UAE Visit Postponed

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Reuters
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Reuters
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Netanyahu's UAE Visit Postponed

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Reuters
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Reuters

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cancelled a visit to the United Arab Emirates on Thursday over “difficulties” in coordinating the flight with Jordan.

A statement from the premier's office said he "was expected to visit the United Arab Emirates today but, due to difficulties in coordinating his flight in Jordan's airspace, the visit was postponed."

Israel and the UAE established ties last year.

Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan subsequently reached similar US-brokered agreements with Israel.

Earlier Thursday, the hospitalization of Netanyahu’s wife cast doubt on whether the UAE trip would take place.

Sara Netanyahu was hospitalized with an appendix infection at Jerusalem’s Hadassah Medical Center, the hospital said.

An official in Netanyahu's office said she had felt unwell and was taken to the Hadassah Medical Center, where she will remain hospitalized for several days.



Fighter Jets, Refueling Aircraft, Frigate: UK Assets in Mideast

A Eurofighter Typhoon at the 2024 Farnborough International Airshow in the UK. JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP
A Eurofighter Typhoon at the 2024 Farnborough International Airshow in the UK. JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP
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Fighter Jets, Refueling Aircraft, Frigate: UK Assets in Mideast

A Eurofighter Typhoon at the 2024 Farnborough International Airshow in the UK. JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP
A Eurofighter Typhoon at the 2024 Farnborough International Airshow in the UK. JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP

Britain is deploying extra fighter jets and other assets to the Middle East amid the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said.

Below, AFP takes a look at the UK's military presence in the region.

'Contingency support'

Starmer told reporters travelling with him on his plane to Canada for G7 talks on Saturday that Britain was "moving assets to the region, including jets... for contingency support".

The jets are Eurofighter Typhoon planes, according to Britain's defense ministry.

Additional refueling aircraft have also been deployed from UK bases, according to Downing Street.

Royal Air Force fighter planes are already in the region as part of Operation Shader, the codename given to Britain's contribution to the international campaign against the ISIS group.

RAF Typhoon jets aided Israel in April 2024 when they shot down an unspecified number of drones fired by Iran, as confirmed by the UK's then-prime minister, Rishi Sunak.

Starmer, Sunak's successor, refused to speculate whether the UK would become directly involved this time in the conflict between the arch foes, which entered their fourth day on Monday.

Iran threatened to target American, British and French bases if Western countries intervened to stop Iranian strikes on Israel.

Tehran also urged London, Paris and Berlin to pressure Israel to stop its deadly attacks on Iran.