في خطوة مفاجئة.. لندن تلغي إرسال حاملة طائراتها إلى الشرق الأوسط

The British newspaper "Financial Times" reported yesterday (Monday) that British officials stated the government in London has decided to cancel the emergency plans to send the aircraft carrier "Prince of Wales" to the Middle East, at a time when military escalation between Iran, the United States, and Israel is at its peak.

The newspaper confirmed that London has backed away from the idea of deploying the carrier in the region, without revealing the detailed reasons behind this decision, or the potential military alternatives that Britain might adopt to support its allies or protect its interests in the Middle East.

The retreat came after the carrier was placed on heightened alert in recent days, with the notice period for sailing reduced from 14 days to just 5 days, in a possible preparation to join operations in the region.

The crisis has sharply escalated following American-Israeli strikes on Iranian targets, which were followed by Iranian responses that included missile attacks and drones on American bases and sites in the Gulf Arab states, leading to direct threats to British interests, including bases in Cyprus (Akrotiri) and the Gulf.

In recent days, the British Ministry of Defense announced an increase in readiness for the "Prince of Wales," one of the two main British aircraft carriers, at a cost of up to £6 billion, amid reports of a shortage of major warships available for protection, which may require support from allies such as France or the United States if deployed.

U.S. President Donald Trump also sparked significant controversy when he mocked British Prime Minister Keir Starmer via his platform "Truth Social," saying that Britain is "finally thinking about sending aircraft carriers," adding sarcastically, "We don’t need them anymore... but we will remember," referring to London’s delay in joining the initial operations against Iran.

The decision to cancel comes amid internal British tensions regarding participation in the conflict, with criticism directed at Starmer for his initial hesitation, while the British military focuses on other commitments such as NATO exercises in the Arctic.