The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer, confirmed that United Kingdom is not directly participating in the ongoing strikes carried out by United States and Israel against Iran. However, London has agreed to a U.S. request to use British military bases for limited defensive operations amid rising tensions in the Middle East.
In a video message published on social media, Starmer said the decision was taken following requests from partners in the Persian Gulf region who asked the UK to contribute more to regional security.
“Our partners in the Persian Gulf have asked us to do more to help protect them, and it is my duty to protect British citizens,” Starmer said.
According to the British prime minister, UK fighter jets are already in the air as part of coordinated defensive operations and have successfully intercepted Iranian attacks. He stressed that preventing further strikes requires targeting missile threats before they can be launched.
“The only way to stop the threat is by destroying missiles either in storage depots or on the launchers used to fire them,” he added.
Starmer also clarified that Washington requested permission to use British bases for a “specific and limited defensive purpose.” The UK government ultimately agreed to the request in order to help prevent missile launches that could threaten civilians and British nationals in the region.
“We made the decision to accept this request to prevent Iran from launching missiles across the region, killing innocent civilians and putting British lives at risk,” Starmer said.
The development comes as tensions continue to escalate across the Middle East, with multiple countries reinforcing air defense systems and coordinating military responses to missile and drone attacks.
