British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said UK fighter jets have shot down "several drones" launched by Iran in its unprecedented attack on Israel overnight.
The prime minister warned that if Tehran's attack was successful, the fallout for regional stability would be hard to overstate and referred to it as a "dangerous and unnecessary escalation."
According to Israel, Iran launched at least 120 ballistic missiles, more than 30 cruise missiles, and 170 drones on Saturday, triggering air raid sirens across the country.
Sunak said, "Thanks to an international coordinated effort, which the UK participated in, almost all of these missiles were intercepted, saving lives not just in Israel but in neighboring countries like Jordan as well."
He added that the UK has sent additional planes to the region as part of operations already in progress in Syria and Iraq. He has confirmed that their aircraft did shoot down several Iranian attack drones.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) previously announced that several RAF aircraft and air refueling tankers were dispatched to the area to bolster Operation Shader, the UK's existing counter-Islamic State operation in Iraq and Syria.
Furthermore, Sunak is expected to speak with US President Joe Biden on a call with G7 leaders on Sunday amid concerns of additional escalation in the event of a possible Israeli counterstrike.
Shadow foreign secretary David Lammy told journalists in north London that he hoped the government would come forward with further sanctions and that Labour would support them if they chose to do that.
Labour has also declared it would support the government in pursuing "further sanctions" against drones.
The attack was in response to a strike widely blamed on Israel on an Iranian consular building in Syria earlier this month, which left two Iranian generals dead.
