UK to Let US Use Bases for Iran Strikes

The US will operate from two key strategic locations: RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, a long-time home to American heavy bombers, and the joint US-UK base on Diego Garcia, a British territory in the Indian Ocean. This access was previously denied by the UK government over concerns about the legality of potential strikes. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has emphasized that permission is for a "specific and limited defensive purpose." The objective is to destroy Iranian missiles, their storage depots, and launchers at their source to prevent attacks on regional allies. British forces will not be directly involved in any offensive action. The UK's decision marks a significant reversal. The government changed its position after Iran launched a wave of retaliatory missile and drone attacks across the Middle East, with one suspected drone striking the UK's Akrotiri airbase in Cyprus. An Iranian missile attack in Bahrain also nearly hit several UK personnel. This escalation is part of a widening conflict that began with joint US-Israeli strikes inside Iran which reportedly killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In response, Iran has launched hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel, US military bases, and Gulf Arab nations including the UAE, Qatar, and Kuwait. A primary factor in the UK's policy shift is the safety of its citizens abroad. The government has highlighted the risk to roughly 200,000 British nationals living and working in Middle Eastern countries now being targeted by Iran. The presence of US forces in the UK dates back to World War II, formalized by a NATO Status of Forces Agreement in 1951. American aircraft have used British bases for previous military operations, including the 1986 bombing of Libya and missions related to the war in Iraq.