According to reports from British media, four Typhoon fighters, accompanied by an Airbus A330MRTT Voyager, operated in Iraqi airspace—traversing Turkish airspace en route. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak noted on April 14th that the Typhoons successfully eliminated a certain number of aerial targets. Unofficial government sources cited by local press claimed that between 10 to 20 unmanned aerial vehicles were brought down by the British aircraft. Following the completion of their mission, the Typhoons returned safely to their base. At no point did British forces enter Israeli airspace.
The defence of Israel in this operation also saw support from the United States and Jordan, with potential participation from Iraq and Saudi Arabia. This mission underscores the ongoing collaboration among these nations in regional security efforts.
This operation was not the combat debut for the RAF’s Typhoons in engaging aerial targets. Previously, on December 14, 2021, a Typhoon from the RAF had downed an unmanned aerial vehicle belonging to Syrian forces near the Al-Tanf base using an MBDA ASRAAM missile.
The use of Eurofighter Typhoon jets in operational roles extends beyond the UK. These aircraft are also stationed in the Falklands and assist in securing the airspace over Central European countries, demonstrating their strategic importance in global and regional defence initiatives.
