UK Launches Security Review Over Vandalized Military Jets
Bloomberg (archive.ph)
By Ellen Milligan
2025-06-20 11:21:02GMT
A grab from a video posted by Palestine Action. Source: Palestine Action
The UK will conduct a full review of security at its biggest airbase after a pro-Palestine activist group posted a video on X claiming to have damaged two military aircraft there.
The video shows at least two people traveling across an airfield at night on motorized scooters, and includes footage of one of them spraying red paint onto a plane. The group, Palestine Action, said it had damaged two aircraft at the Brize Norton Royal Air Force base in Oxfordshire.
A wider review of security across the country’s defense estate is also taking place, Geraint Ellis, a spokesman for Prime Minister Keir Starmer, told reporters on Friday. The premier himself called the vandalism “disgraceful” in a post on X, while the Ministry of Defence earlier said police are investigating.
https://x.com/Pal_action/status/1935926198304985569 (archive.ph)
“We treat all breaches very seriously, and where there is suspected criminal activity, we will take the necessary steps to investigate and prosecute,” Ellis said.
RAF Brize Norton is the UK’s largest air base, with around 7,300 workers. Aircraft stationed there include the C-130J Hercules, C-17 Globemaster III, Atlas (A400M) and Voyager planes, used to support the UK’s overseas operations, including in Iraq and Afghanistan earlier this century.
The BBC reported that at least one of the aircraft damaged was an Airbus Voyager, which are used to refuel jets. Ellis said the incident hadn’t cost the UK any planned aircraft movements.
“It’s potentially serious in terms of implications” because of the capabilities of the craft based there, said Matthew Savill, director of military sciences at the Royal United Services Institute in London. “A more serious sabotage operation could put at risk our ability to support global deployments and long-range air operations.”
Palestine Action said on X that they were also able to escape “undetected” from the airbase. The group campaigns against Israel’s military actions in Gaza, and the UK’s support of the Middle Eastern nation.
The UK is a long-standing ally of Israel, but last year chose to suspend some 30 of its 350-odd export licenses to the country, covering components used in F-16 fighter aircraft, helicopters, drones and naval systems, as well as items that facilitate ground targeting. The move was taken after the government concluded there was a clear risk that they might be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation of international humanitarian law.
The UK government has grown increasingly concerned about Israel’s offense in Gaza and the blocking of vital aid to Palestinians there. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has called for a ceasefire for months, but his initial slowness to do so dented his Labour Party’s success in the general election almost a year ago. Earlier this month, the UK sanctioned two Israeli government ministers, Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, for inciting violence against Palestinian communities.
— With assistance from Lucy White
(Updates with full security review starting in first paragraph.)
---
Palestine Action damage military planes at RAF Brize Norton to intervene in the genocide
Palestine Action (archive.ph)
2025-06-20 05:34:03GMT
Images and videos are free to use, with credit to Palestine Action
Palestine Action have damaged two military planes at RAF Brize Norton, where flights leave daily for RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, a base used for military operations in Gaza and across the Middle East. Two activists broke into the largest air force base in Britain and used electric scooters to swiftly manoeuvre towards the planes. They used repurposed fire extinguishers to spray red paint into the turbine engines of two Airbus Voyagers and caused further damage using crowbars. Red paint, symbolising Palestinian bloodshed was also sprayed across the runway and a Palestine flag was left on the scene. Both activists managed to evade security and arrest.
By putting the planes out of service, activists have interrupted Britain’s direct participation in the commission of genocide and war crimes across the Middle East. From Akrotiri, the RAF have flown hundreds of surveillance missions in support of Israel’s genocide in Gaza [1], and the base is also used for UK and US military cargo transports to the Israeli military [2]. In a speech to troops at Akrotiri in December 2024, Keir Starmer hailed the troops’ efforts while stating that “Quite a bit of what goes on here can’t necessarily be talked about […] we can’t necessarily tell the world what you’re doing” [3]. By this point, Israel had massacred tens of thousands in Gaza, the Akrotiri base had been used to collected up-to 1,000 hours of reconnaissance footage over the Strip in assistance of Israel [4].
The targeted planes are Airbus Voyagers, which can carry military cargo and are used to refuel Israeli/US/UK military aircrafts and fighter jets. Previously, such Voyagers were used to refuel RAF Typhoon aircraft and US military planes for bombing runs against Yemen [5], where combined US-UK-Israeli airstrikes have killed hundreds of Yemenis [6][7]. Recently, British Airbus Voyagers have been seen flying over Jordan, Iraq and towards Syria, where they stop to refuel Israeli or US fighter jets for 4-5 hours and then return to Akrotiri.
From the military base, Airbus Atlas flights also travel to RAF Akrotiri. Atlas flights can carry soldiers, guns, ammunition, bombs and munitions. During the escalating genocide in Gaza, the British military have flown Atlas flights from Akrotiri to Tel Aviv, carrying soldiers and/or military cargo [8].
RAF Brize Norton, where the aircrafts are now grounded, has also played host to numerous Israel Air Force transport flights within recent months [9].
QUOTES
A Palestine Action spokesperson has stated:
“Despite publicly condemning the Israeli government, Britain continues to send military cargo, fly spy planes over Gaza and refuel US/Israeli fighter jets. Britain isn’t just complicit, it’s an active participant in the Gaza genocide and war crimes across the Middle East.
By decommissioning two military planes, Palestine Action have directly intervened to break the chains of oppression.”
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
[1] https://aoav.org.uk/2025/britain-se...ng-fears-of-complicity-in-israeli-war-crimes/
[2] https://www.declassifieduk.org/raf-...y-flights-to-israel-since-gaza-bombing-began/
[3] https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/starmer-visits-gaza-spy-planes-air-base
[4] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024...gation-into-israeli-war-crimes-in-gaza-reveal
[5] https://www.key.aero/article/insight-raf-ops-response-gaza-war
[6] https://www.independent.co.uk/news/...ael-hamas-pat-mcfadden-rupa-huq-b2717203.html
[7] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025...123-people-since-mid-march-health-authorities
[8] https://x.com/kennardmatt/status/1924374676286939484
[9] https://www.declassifieduk.org/why-have-israeli-military-aircraft-been-landing-at-a-uk-air-base/
Bloomberg (archive.ph)
By Ellen Milligan
2025-06-20 11:21:02GMT
A grab from a video posted by Palestine Action. Source: Palestine Action
The UK will conduct a full review of security at its biggest airbase after a pro-Palestine activist group posted a video on X claiming to have damaged two military aircraft there.
The video shows at least two people traveling across an airfield at night on motorized scooters, and includes footage of one of them spraying red paint onto a plane. The group, Palestine Action, said it had damaged two aircraft at the Brize Norton Royal Air Force base in Oxfordshire.
A wider review of security across the country’s defense estate is also taking place, Geraint Ellis, a spokesman for Prime Minister Keir Starmer, told reporters on Friday. The premier himself called the vandalism “disgraceful” in a post on X, while the Ministry of Defence earlier said police are investigating.
https://x.com/Pal_action/status/1935926198304985569 (archive.ph)
“We treat all breaches very seriously, and where there is suspected criminal activity, we will take the necessary steps to investigate and prosecute,” Ellis said.
RAF Brize Norton is the UK’s largest air base, with around 7,300 workers. Aircraft stationed there include the C-130J Hercules, C-17 Globemaster III, Atlas (A400M) and Voyager planes, used to support the UK’s overseas operations, including in Iraq and Afghanistan earlier this century.
The BBC reported that at least one of the aircraft damaged was an Airbus Voyager, which are used to refuel jets. Ellis said the incident hadn’t cost the UK any planned aircraft movements.
“It’s potentially serious in terms of implications” because of the capabilities of the craft based there, said Matthew Savill, director of military sciences at the Royal United Services Institute in London. “A more serious sabotage operation could put at risk our ability to support global deployments and long-range air operations.”
Palestine Action said on X that they were also able to escape “undetected” from the airbase. The group campaigns against Israel’s military actions in Gaza, and the UK’s support of the Middle Eastern nation.
The UK is a long-standing ally of Israel, but last year chose to suspend some 30 of its 350-odd export licenses to the country, covering components used in F-16 fighter aircraft, helicopters, drones and naval systems, as well as items that facilitate ground targeting. The move was taken after the government concluded there was a clear risk that they might be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation of international humanitarian law.
The UK government has grown increasingly concerned about Israel’s offense in Gaza and the blocking of vital aid to Palestinians there. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has called for a ceasefire for months, but his initial slowness to do so dented his Labour Party’s success in the general election almost a year ago. Earlier this month, the UK sanctioned two Israeli government ministers, Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, for inciting violence against Palestinian communities.
— With assistance from Lucy White
(Updates with full security review starting in first paragraph.)
---
Palestine Action damage military planes at RAF Brize Norton to intervene in the genocide
Palestine Action (archive.ph)
2025-06-20 05:34:03GMT
Images and videos are free to use, with credit to Palestine Action
Palestine Action have damaged two military planes at RAF Brize Norton, where flights leave daily for RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, a base used for military operations in Gaza and across the Middle East. Two activists broke into the largest air force base in Britain and used electric scooters to swiftly manoeuvre towards the planes. They used repurposed fire extinguishers to spray red paint into the turbine engines of two Airbus Voyagers and caused further damage using crowbars. Red paint, symbolising Palestinian bloodshed was also sprayed across the runway and a Palestine flag was left on the scene. Both activists managed to evade security and arrest.
By putting the planes out of service, activists have interrupted Britain’s direct participation in the commission of genocide and war crimes across the Middle East. From Akrotiri, the RAF have flown hundreds of surveillance missions in support of Israel’s genocide in Gaza [1], and the base is also used for UK and US military cargo transports to the Israeli military [2]. In a speech to troops at Akrotiri in December 2024, Keir Starmer hailed the troops’ efforts while stating that “Quite a bit of what goes on here can’t necessarily be talked about […] we can’t necessarily tell the world what you’re doing” [3]. By this point, Israel had massacred tens of thousands in Gaza, the Akrotiri base had been used to collected up-to 1,000 hours of reconnaissance footage over the Strip in assistance of Israel [4].
The targeted planes are Airbus Voyagers, which can carry military cargo and are used to refuel Israeli/US/UK military aircrafts and fighter jets. Previously, such Voyagers were used to refuel RAF Typhoon aircraft and US military planes for bombing runs against Yemen [5], where combined US-UK-Israeli airstrikes have killed hundreds of Yemenis [6][7]. Recently, British Airbus Voyagers have been seen flying over Jordan, Iraq and towards Syria, where they stop to refuel Israeli or US fighter jets for 4-5 hours and then return to Akrotiri.
From the military base, Airbus Atlas flights also travel to RAF Akrotiri. Atlas flights can carry soldiers, guns, ammunition, bombs and munitions. During the escalating genocide in Gaza, the British military have flown Atlas flights from Akrotiri to Tel Aviv, carrying soldiers and/or military cargo [8].
RAF Brize Norton, where the aircrafts are now grounded, has also played host to numerous Israel Air Force transport flights within recent months [9].
QUOTES
A Palestine Action spokesperson has stated:
“Despite publicly condemning the Israeli government, Britain continues to send military cargo, fly spy planes over Gaza and refuel US/Israeli fighter jets. Britain isn’t just complicit, it’s an active participant in the Gaza genocide and war crimes across the Middle East.
By decommissioning two military planes, Palestine Action have directly intervened to break the chains of oppression.”
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
[1] https://aoav.org.uk/2025/britain-se...ng-fears-of-complicity-in-israeli-war-crimes/
[2] https://www.declassifieduk.org/raf-...y-flights-to-israel-since-gaza-bombing-began/
[3] https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/starmer-visits-gaza-spy-planes-air-base
[4] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024...gation-into-israeli-war-crimes-in-gaza-reveal
[5] https://www.key.aero/article/insight-raf-ops-response-gaza-war
[6] https://www.independent.co.uk/news/...ael-hamas-pat-mcfadden-rupa-huq-b2717203.html
[7] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025...123-people-since-mid-march-health-authorities
[8] https://x.com/kennardmatt/status/1924374676286939484
[9] https://www.declassifieduk.org/why-have-israeli-military-aircraft-been-landing-at-a-uk-air-base/
