UK Grants US Access to Bases for Iran Strikes
The United Kingdom has agreed to let the U.S. use its military bases for potential strikes on Iran. The decision signals a significant deepening of the transatlantic military alliance amid the escalating Middle East crisis.
The specific locations now cleared for use are RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire and the strategic outpost of Diego Garcia, a British-controlled territory in the Indian Ocean. RAF Fairford has previously hosted American B-52 bombers, while Diego Garcia's location offers significant logistical advantages for operations in the Middle East. This decision is rooted in the 1951 NATO Status of Forces Agreement, which provides the legal framework for military personnel from one NATO country to be stationed in another. The UK's Visiting Forces Act of 1952 incorporates this agreement into British law, establishing the legal precedent for the presence and operation of US forces on UK soil. The agreement follows a rapid escalation of hostilities that began on February 28, 2026, with joint US-Israeli strikes on targets within Iran. Iran retaliated by launching missile and drone attacks on Israel and US bases across the Middle East, including in Bahrain, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated the decision was made for the "specific and limited defensive purpose" of targeting Iranian missile sites to prevent further attacks and protect the approximately 200,000 British citizens in the region. The UK government has emphasized it is acting in "collective self-defence of regional allies" and will not participate in offensive strikes. This is not the first instance of US forces using British bases for military action in the Middle East. RAF Lakenheath, for example, was utilized for the 1986 bombing of Libya and for missions during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus has also served as a key base for operations against ISIS in Iraq and Syria. Shortly after the UK's announcement, its RAF Akrotiri base in Cyprus was struck by what officials described as an Iranian-made one-way attack drone, causing minor damage but no casualties. US President Donald Trump publicly expressed his "disappointment" that the UK initially hesitated, stating it "took far too long" to grant permission.
