The UK and Israel developed a secret defence plan, codenamed HEZUK, to counter Iran and Hizballah, deepen bilateral security integration, and collaborate on hypersonic missiles and autonomous warfare. Leaked documents reveal this project was initiated in 2019-20, during Boris Johnson’s time as prime minister. The UK government referenced HEZUK again in 2020 when officers from the British army’s 77th brigade planned to visit Israel for “information operations” capability development.
The documents, originating from a hack of the Israel Defence Forces by “Anonymous for Justice”, highlight the UK’s deep entanglement with Israel amidst ongoing atrocities in Gaza and the assault on Lebanon. The UK Ministry of Defence refused to clarify the status of HEZUK, and former soldier Joe Glenton raised ethical concerns about supporting a genocidal state.
The defence plan focused on strengthening intelligence relationships, improving military capabilities, liaising with Israeli security, seeking defence prosperity opportunities, and accessing overflight permissions. Concerns arise over the UK’s reliance on Israeli arms industry and fears of reciprocal measures if an arms embargo is imposed on Israel. The total proscription of Hezbollah as a terrorist organization in the UK coincided with the development of this defence plan.
Source link