UK will allow US to use its military bases to destroy Iran missile sites, PM says

Around 300 British personnel were near targets in Bahrain as Sir Keir Starmer warns of wider regional fallout after US-Israel strikes

The UK has agreed to a US request to use British bases to attack Iranian missile sites, Sir Keir Starmer has said.

Britain has so far not been involved in the US-Israeli strikes on Iran, and is reported to have previously refused American requests to use UK bases for operations against the country.

But in a statement on Sunday night, the Prime Minister said he had granted the request “to prevent Iran firing missiles across the region, killing innocent civilians, putting British lives at risk, and hitting countries that have not been involved”.

The US will use the bases for the “specific and limited defensive purpose” of hitting missile launch sites or storage depots in Iran, he added.

Sir Keir said Britain’s allies in the Gulf had “asked us to do more to defend them”, and accused Iran of putting 200,000 British lives at risk across the region.

US missions to target Iranian missiles have been given the go ahead to fly out of the Diego Garcia base, one of the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean, and RAF Fairford, Gloucestershire, which has been used in the past by giant B-52 bombers.

Sir Keir said: “Over the last two days Iran has launched sustained attacks across the region at countries who did not attack them.

“They’ve hit airports and hotels where British citizens are staying.

“This is clearly a dangerous situation.

“We have at least 200,000 British citizens in the region – residents, families on holiday, and those in transit.

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“Yesterday Iran hit a military base in Bahrain, narrowly missing British personnel.

“The death of the Supreme Leader will not stop Iran from launching these strikes.

“Their approach is becoming even more reckless – and more dangerous to civilians.

“We are not joining these strikes, but we will continue with our defensive actions in the region.

“And we will also bring experts from Ukraine together with our own experts to help Gulf partners shoot down Iranian drones attacking them.

“I want to be very clear: we all remember the mistakes of Iraq.

“And we have learned those lessons.

“We were not involved in the initial strikes on Iran and we will not join offensive action now.

“But Iran is pursuing a scorched earth strategy – so we are supporting the collective self-defence of our allies and our people in the region.”

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