Israel’s claim Hezbollah hit UK warship off Lebanese coast raises thorny questions

Media in Israel have claimed that a warship struck by a Hezbollah missile 68 nautical miles (nm) off the Lebanese coast was British, not Israeli. The Lebanese group had announced it struck an Israeli Occupation Force (IOF) ship with a “naval cruise missile” after several hours of monitoring it preparing to attack Lebanon. There appear to be no disputes that a warship was struck, only about whose navy it belonged to.

The UK Ministry of Defence has denied a British warship was hit. The distance at which the ship was hit means the vessel was very likely within Lebanon’s maritime ‘Exclusive Economic Zone‘ or ‘maritime continental margin’, which extends 200nm from its 120nm-long shoreline, though limited by the presence of Cyprus some 93nm away. It also puts the ship many miles from the RAF’s Akrotiri base, which UK and US warplanes are using to defend Israel and/or attack Iran – and half-way or more toward Lebanon.

Israel claims complicate tense situation

Some news outlets have reported that Hezbollah “mistakenly” targeted the vessel, implying it was operating alongside Israeli vessels in the area – particularly as the group claimed it had observed it for hours making offensive manoeuvres and preparations.

Whether an IOF or UK ship was hit, either scenario poses thorny questions for a Starmer government that has claimed it is only carrying out ‘defensive operations’. Either an IOF warship was hit and Israel has thrown the UK under a bus to deflect for propaganda purposes. Or a UK ship was hit, meaning it was very likely operating offensively alongside Israeli warships.

Foul play from a supposed UK ‘ally’ – or the exposure of more lies from ‘Zionist without qualification‘ Starmer and the UK helping aid heinous attacks on Lebanon, just as it aided Israel’s genocide in Gaza?

Featured image via the Canary