Despite Misgivings, U.K. and France Deploy Ships and Planes to Mideast

Even as they voice misgivings about the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, some European nations have begun deploying their armed forces to the Middle East to defend their citizens and interests.

Britain and France, neither of which is part of the assault on Iran that began on Saturday, announced they would use their navies and air forces to help blunt Iran’s retaliatory strikes. Greece also sent planes and warships to its neighbor, Cyprus.

Defense ministers from Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Poland joined a call about the conflict in Iran and the wider situation in the Middle East on Wednesday afternoon. In a statement, the British defense secretary, John Healey, said they discussed how the nations’ armed forces would be protecting their citizens and “supporting our allies.”