UK Greenlights US Strikes From Bases

The decision follows a recent drone strike on RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, which caused minor damage but no casualties. Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated the agreement was for the "specific and limited defensive purpose" of targeting Iranian missile storage and launch sites. The government's legal position is that it is acting in "collective self-defence" of regional allies. This marks a significant policy reversal; Britain had previously declined US requests to use its bases for potential strikes against Iran, citing concerns over international law. Former President Donald Trump had criticized the earlier refusal, which included the use of RAF Fairford and the base on Diego Garcia. U.S. forces have been stationed at RAF Akrotiri since at least 1974, and the base has been a key launchpad for past UK and US operations in the Middle East, including against targets in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen. American U-2 spy planes have also been permanently stationed there for decades, conducting surveillance across the region. The use of UK bases by American forces is governed by long-standing arrangements, including the 1951 NATO Status of Forces Agreement and a 1952 joint understanding that the use of bases in an emergency would be a matter for joint decision. Beyond Cyprus, other strategic locations include the joint US-UK base on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean and RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, which is home to US heavy bombers. These bases are crucial for projecting military power across the Middle East and have been used in numerous conflicts, including operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. The U.S. military is expanding its presence on Cyprus, with plans for a new $27 million installation to house additional personnel at RAF Akrotiri. While the UK discloses its own troop numbers on the island, the exact number of U.S. military personnel has not been officially released by the Ministry of Defence.