Arms, Intelligence, and Accountability Under the Spotlight as British Support to Israel Faces Growing Scrutiny
As the war in Gaza enters a devastating new phase, questions continue to mount over the United Kingdom’s role in arming and assisting Israel during its military campaign. British Foreign Secretary David Lammy recently condemned Israel’s conduct in Gaza, stating that the UK could “do more in the coming weeks” should Israel fail to change course. He expressed his outrage over recent attacks on aid distribution centres, saying he was “sickened” by the killing of Palestinian civilians.
Since the conflict erupted following the October 7 attacks, scrutiny has intensified over the extent of UK arms sales to Israel and whether British-made components are contributing to what many call a humanitarian catastrophe.
What Arms Has the UK Supplied to Israel?
While the UK is not Israel’s main arms supplier — that position belongs to the United States, followed by Germany and Italy — it has nonetheless approved over £500 million in arms export licences to Israel since 2015, according to the Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT).
Particular attention has focused on UK-manufactured components used in the F-35 fighter jet, a cutting-edge multi-role aircraft extensively deployed in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza. British firms supply an estimated 13–15% of the jet’s components, including ejector seats, fuselage parts, targeting lasers, and weapon release systems. These parts are sent to international assembly plants, not directly to Israel — a point the UK government uses to argue it cannot fully block their final destination.
Critics, however, call this an “enormous loophole.”
“UK-made parts go to the U.S., where they’re fitted into jets destined for Israel,” said Prof. Anna Stavrianakis, an expert on arms exports. “So any ban becomes largely symbolic.”
Following Labour’s rise to power in 2024, the government suspended 30 out of 350 active licences, citing the “clear risk” of violation of international law. Yet crucially, F-35 components remain exempt from the ban.
Intelligence and Military Collaboration
Beyond physical arms, the UK’s defense partnership with Israel includes joint training, education, and capability development. The Royal Air Force (RAF) has flown hundreds of surveillance flights over Gaza since December 2023, using Shadow R1 spy planes from its base in Cyprus.
While Lammy insists the UK has not shared military intelligence with Israel, the UK acknowledged in 2023 that its unarmed drones were aiding hostage recovery operations, not combat targeting.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has declined to confirm whether Israeli aircraft have access to UK airbases, though flight data reviewed by independent outlet DropSite and BBC Verify revealed Israeli refueling aircraft in British airspace.
Additionally, the MoD confirmed that a limited number of Israel Defense Forces (IDF) personnel attend non-combat training courses in the UK, focusing on leadership and logistics. Ministers insist these programs emphasize compliance with international humanitarian law.
Has the UK Sanctioned Israel?
The Labour government has shifted Britain’s stance since taking office. It dropped opposition to ICC arrest warrants for Israeli leaders and suspended free trade agreement upgrades with Israel. Lammy has described Israeli conduct in Gaza as “an affront to British values.”
While the UK has imposed sanctions on two far-right Israeli ministers for inciting violence in the West Bank, it has not sanctioned the Israeli government directly for its actions in Gaza, where over 59,000 people have died, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
Human rights groups and MPs continue to call for a public inquiry into the full extent of the UK’s military and intelligence support to Israel — especially as humanitarian conditions worsen and global outrage deepens.