UK allows US to use military bases for Iran operations

Shafaq News- London

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham approved the use of UK military bases for “defensive strikes against Iran,” continuing the policy of his predecessor, Keir Starmer, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday.

Quoting a source, Bloomberg said Burnham chaired a meeting of senior ministers and officials on July 17 to review Britain's policy following the resumption of US military operations.

The Prime Minister's office has not commented on the matter.

Former British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in March 2026 initially rejected a US request to use British bases for strikes, arguing that any military action had to meet legal requirements. He later reversed his position after Iran attacked Britain's regional allies, allowing the United States to use RAF Fairford and the joint UK-US military facility at Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth warned that Iran would face a military response “ten times harder” if it continued attacking commercial shipping and countries across the region.