Pro-Palestinian activists claimed responsibility of the incident where two RAF Voyager tankers were spray-painted after breaking into RAF Brize Norton last night.
Two Palestine Action activists broke into RAF Brize Norton in Carterton, Oxfordshire, on e-scooters and sprayed red paint on two aircraft.
Palestine Action said the activists evaded security and claimed they had put the air-to-air refuelling tankers “out of service”.
In a statement, a Palestine Action spokesperson said: “Despite publicly condemning the Israeli government, Britain continues to send military cargo, fly spy planes over Gaza and refuel US and Israeli fighter jets.”
The group said the activists who entered RAF Brize Norton used repurposed fire extinguishers to spray red paint into the planes’ engines.
Defence Secretary John Healey said he was “really disturbed” by the incident and had ordered an investigation and the wider security review.
The MoD told the BBC that RAF Voyager aircraft had not been involved in refuelling or supporting Israeli Air Force jets.
The base is encircled by a large perimeter fence, with security camera and sensors in the area in addition to manned security checkpoints. Patrols around the base are also carried out from time to time.
RAF Brize Norton serves as the hub for UK strategic air transport and refuelling, including flights to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus. The air force has conducted reconnaissance flights over Gaza out of the Cyprus base.
