UK Permits US Military to Use Bases for Targeting Iranian Missiles as Region Nearly Hit With Retaliation Fire

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has authorised the United States to use British military bases to launch strikes against Iranian missile infrastructure.

The decision, confirmed on 2 March 2026, follows a weekend of intense aerial warfare across the Middle East. 'The only way to stop the threat is to destroy the missiles at source, in their storage depots or the launchers which are used to fire the missiles,' he said in an official statement.

'The US has requested permission to use British bases for that specific and limited defensive purpose. We have taken the decision to accept this request,' he added.

He emphasised that the US request was for a 'specific and limited defensive purpose.'

The move marks a significant escalation in UK involvement as the Trump administration intensifies its campaign against Tehran.

Defensive Skies over the Gulf

British planes are already flying in the skies. On 28 February, Starmer said UK planes 'are in the sky today' throughout the Middle East 'as part of coordinated regional defensive operations to protect our people, our interests and our allies.'

The Royal Air Force, flying Typhoon jets out of Qatar, shot down an Iranian drone that was headed for Qatar. The drone was taken down by the squadron's 1 Qatar Typhoon Squadron and shot down before it reached its target.

Meanwhile, two Iranian missiles were launched at Cyprus, where Britain has sovereign base areas. The event raised alarms about the possible spill-over conflict to European airspace.

The Typhoon jets involved in the interception were a part of a joint UK-Qatar Typhoon Squadron. The crew called the engagement tense but routine. The result was that they maintained situational awareness and engaged the drone only after the threat level was confirmed.

The success of the interception highlights the RAF's readiness to defend not only British assets but also those of its allies. It also displays for the first time how small and agile forces can counter larger ballistic threats in the region.

UK Base Operations in Bahrain

About 300 British personnel work out of a naval facility at Bahrain. The base has been targeted by missile strikes and drone strikes in the past few days.

'We're taking down the drones that are menacing either our bases, our people or our allies,' UK Defence Secretary John Healey told 'Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips' on Sky.

Healey made it clear that the UK has 'no part' in the US and Israeli strikes on Iran and insisted all British actions were defensive. 'All our actions are about the defence of UK interests and the defence of UK allies,' he said.

He also said, 'We've come on the step with the Americans.' We've spend up our defensive forces in the Middle East. We're flying those sorties.'

When asked if the UK would join the US in offensive action, Healey said, 'I'm not going to speculate,' according to Sky News.

Diplomatic signalling and speculations

Downing Street confirmed that on 28 February, Starmer and President Donald Trump spoke by phone about the 'situation in the Middle East,' the BBC reported. The conversation emphasised the severity of the crisis and the need for coordinated responses.

The UK has maintained a tight public messaging which had focused on defence rather than retaliation. The decision to permit US use of British bases is couched in terms of a defensive necessity, not an offensive support.

In the wake of the strikes, the UK government vowed to keep its people informed but keep a calm face for its allies. The decision to allow the US to use British bases is an important moment in the region's precarious equilibrium. The eyes of the world are still focused on whether this calculated defence will keep the world from a greater war or provoke a new escalation.