BICOM

Ministers have considered contingency plans for how Britain would respond to a crisis in the Gulf triggered by an Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities, according to reports in the British media this morning. However, a Whitehall source cited in the Daily Telegraph said the contingency plans were not prompted by any expectation of an imminent Israeli strike on Iran.

The National Security Council, which gathered for a routine meeting last Wednesday, discussed a range of possibilities. Ministers were told, according to a report in the BBC, that a strike could trigger a wider war in the Middle East in which Iran might respond not just by attacking Israel, but also by closing the vital trade route – the Straits of Hormuz – which serves as a conduit for about 35 per cent of the world’s seaborne oil shipments.

The meeting also focused on what Britain should do if this happens and the legality of any such UK action. According to reports, the ministers also looked at options ranging from British diplomatic support for Israel through to the possible involvement of the Royal Navy in the region.

However, According to a report in the Guardian, senior officers and defence officials admit privately they have “no appetite” for involvement in any campaign, and believe it can be avoided, but are aware of the political realities. As such, neither London nor the United States has ruled out the launching of military action against Iran’s nuclear facilities if diplomacy and economic pressure fails to resolve the confrontation.