Britain Allows America to Use Its Bases Against Iranian Missiles
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced yesterday, Sunday, that Britain has agreed to a request from the United States to use its military bases to launch limited defensive strikes against targeted Iranian missiles aimed at storage facilities and launch platforms.
In a video message via platform X, Starmer said:
"The United States requested the use of British bases for this limited defensive purpose, and we decided to agree to prevent Iran from launching missiles in the region."
Starmer confirmed that Britain will not participate in the American-Israeli airstrikes that led to the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, noting that his country will not join further waves of attacks.
However, he emphasized that Iran has responded by launching ongoing attacks in the region, targeting airports and hotels where British citizens reside, making the protection of British lives an urgent priority.
Starmer said:
"Our decision not to participate in attacks on Iran was deliberate, as the best way forward is to reach a settlement through negotiation, obliging Iran to abandon any nuclear ambitions. However, Iranian attacks pose a serious risk to our interests and people."
He added that Britain's partners in the Gulf have called on London for more actions to protect them, confirming that British aircraft are already involved in defensive operations and have intercepted Iranian missiles, but the only way to stop the threat is to destroy the missiles at their source directly.
He noted that accepting the American request came within the framework of "collective self-defense for friends and allies, and protecting British lives" under international law.
In this context, President Donald Trump warned that the military operation against Iran could take about four weeks, reflecting the scale of escalating tensions in the region.
