UK permits US to strike Iranian sites near Strait of Hormuz

The UK has approved US use of British bases to conduct strikes on Iranian targets near the Strait of Hormuz, expanding prior authorisation for defensive operations. The move follows Iran's missile fire at Diego Garcia, which failed to hit the base.

By Jonathan McConnell1 min read

The UK government has authorised the United States to use British military bases to launch strikes on Iranian sites targeting the Strait of Hormuz. This extends previous approval that limited US operations to defensive actions against threats to British interests or personnel.

The bases involved are RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire and Diego Garcia in the Chagos Islands. The US military did not confirm the missile incidents, but unnamed US officials reported Iran fired two ballistic missiles at Diego Garcia.

One missile failed in flight, and the other was intercepted by a US warship. The UK confirmed it would not be directly involved in the strikes, maintaining that the approach to the conflict remains based on collective self-defence.