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👀 British forces rehearse retaking the Falkland Islands in case of an Argentine invasion, - The Independent
More than 100 British service members together with local reservists carried out six-day exercises on the islands. They repeated actions from the time of the Falklands War in 1982, including a 32-kilometer night march and a seaborne landing.
The renewed escalation was sparked by statements from Argentine President Javier Milei. He called the Falklands territory under “illegal foreign occupation” and threatened to “take matters into his own hands.”
The conflict also affected the economy. Buenos Aires is threatening sanctions against companies developing oil fields near the islands, as well as criminal prosecution of an Israeli energy company operating in the region. London has characterized these threats as an attempt to intimidate business and warned of tough countermeasures.
On the eve of this, the dispute moved into the legal realm: on 13 October Argentina appealed to the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, demanding the halt of the Sea Lion oil project worth about $2,2 billion. Extraction at the field north of the islands is planned to begin in 2028. Britain refuses to recognize Argentine claims and promises to protect companies operating there.
📌Historical note: the Falkland Islands, or the Malvinas, have been under British administration since 1833, but Argentina considers them its territory. In 1982 Argentine forces seized the archipelago, after which Britain sent expeditionary forces and restored control over the islands. Over ten weeks of war 649 Argentine and 255 British service members were killed, as well as three local residents.
In 2013 99,8% of participants in the islands’ referendum voted to retain the status as a British Overseas Territory. Argentina continues to contest British sovereignty.
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