UK Greenlights US Bases for Iran Strikes

This decision reverses a prior UK refusal to grant the US use of its bases for potential strikes against Iran. That earlier refusal had reportedly caused friction with the Trump administration, which had publicly tied the issue to a separate disagreement over the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands, where the key Diego Garcia base is located. The agreement grants the US access to strategically vital locations, including RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, a long-time base for American heavy bombers, and the joint US-UK facility on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean. The UK's RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus is another key installation, from which US spy planes have operated and where US personnel have been stationed since 1974. Hours after the UK's announcement, the Akrotiri airbase in Cyprus was targeted by a suspected drone, causing minor damage but no casualties. Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated the agreement was for the "specific and limited defensive purpose" of destroying Iranian missile sites and storage depots at their source. The UK government has justified the move as an act of "collective self-defence" for regional allies, citing sustained Iranian attacks that have endangered at least 200,000 British citizens in the region. British jets are already in the air conducting defensive operations and have intercepted previous Iranian strikes. This comes amid a significant US military buildup. At least 15 KC-46A Pegasus tankers have been observed at Lajes Field in the Azores, a crucial refueling hub for long-range bombers. This mirrors the use of Lajes during "Operation Midnight Hammer" in June 2025, a precision strike against Iranian nuclear facilities.