The UK has agreed to let the US use its bases to fire “defensive” strikes on Iranian missile sites after the nation hit a military base in the Middle East “narrowly missing” British personnel, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced.
Iran has launched a series of missile and drone strikes on several Gulf countries, saying it is targeting US bases, after the US and Israel launched a major campaign against the nation, killing its supreme leader on Saturday, US time.
In a video message on X, Sir Starmer said the UK had agreed to the US request to use its bases but insisted his nation will “not join offensive action now”.
“Our partners in The Gulf have asked us to do more to defend them … We have British jets in the air as part of co-ordinated defensive operations … which have already successfully intercepted Iranian strikes,” he said.
“But 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. The United States has requested permission to use British bases for that specific and limited defensive purpose.”
Sir Starmer said British lives have been put at “huge risk” from Iranian strikes.
“Over the last two days Iran has launched sustained attacks across the region at countries who did not attack them. They have hit airports and hotels where British citizens are staying.
“This is clearly a dangerous situation, we have at least 200,000 British citizens in the region – residents, families on holiday, and those in transit.”
“Our Armed Forces – who are located across the region are also being put at risk by Iran’s actions. Yesterday Iran hit a military base in Bahrain, narrowly missing British personnel.”
The Prime Minister said the UK has agreed to accept the request to prevent Iran from firing missiles across the region, killing innocent civilians, and hitting countries that have not been involved in the conflict.
“We all remember the mistakes of Iraq, and we have leaned those lessons. We were not involved in the initial strikes on Iran and we will not join offensive action now.
“But Iran is pursuing a scorched-earth strategy, so we are supporting the collective self-defence of our allies and our people in the region.”
UK base in Cyprus hit by suspected drone strike
It comes as the UK’s Akrotiri air force base in Cyprus has been hit by a drone, authorities in Cyprus have said.
Defence and intelligence experts said the strike on the base – which is located more than 965km from Iran – was a “possible Iranian one-way drone attack against RAF Akrotiri”, The Guardian reported.
The base and surrounding areas are now on high alert for further strikes.
The UK’s Ministry of Defence confirmed it is “responding to a suspected drone strike at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus at midnight local time”, adding it was dealing with a “live situation”.
“Our Armed Forces are responding to a suspected drone strike at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus at midnight local time,” a spokesperson said.
“Our force protection in the region is at the highest level and the base has responded to defend our people,” a spokesperson said.
“This is a live situation and further information will be provided in due course.”
There are so far no casualties but there is minor damage.
According to The Guardian, personnel on the base received the following text message: “We are aware of an ongoing security threat. At this time please remain indoors and allow the emergency services access to react to the incident.”
“The Main entry point at RAF Akrotiri remains closed at this point,” the message continued.
“A small Drone has impacted the airfield at RAF Akrotiri and all agencies are responding.“
Earlier, a UK fighter jet shot down an Iranian drone that was heading toward Qatari territory.
Britain’s Defence Ministry said on Sunday a Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter jet operating from Qatar successfully took out” the Iranian drone.
“The Typhoon jet was conducting a defensive air patrol and used an air-to-air missile to shoot down the drone, ensuring the security of Qatar’s airspace and British interests in the region,” the British Defence Ministry said.
“Our Armed Forces are playing a vital role in protecting our people, our interests and our Allies,” the British Defence Ministry said.
Here’s how other nations have responded to the conflict.
France, Germany, UK ready to take ‘defensive action’ against Iran
France, the UK and Germany – whose army camp in Jordan was hit by Iran – said they were ready to defend their interests and those of their allies in the Gulf if necessary by taking “defensive action” against Iran.
The three countries’ leaders – Emmanuel Macron, Friedrich Merz, and Mr Starmer – were “appalled by the indiscriminate and disproportionate missile attacks launched by Iran against countries in the region, including those who were not involved in initial US and Israeli military operations”, a joint statement released on Sunday, UK time, read.
“Iran’s reckless attacks have targeted our close allies and are threatening our service personnel and our civilians across the region,” the statement continued.
“We call on Iran to stop these reckless attacks immediately. We will take steps to defend our interests and those of our allies in the region, potentially through enabling necessary and proportionate defensive action to destroy Iran’s capability to fire missiles and drones at their source,” said the statement.
“We have agreed to work together with the US and allies in the region on this matter.”
A German army camp in the east of Jordan was hit in an Israeli attack, a German army spokesman told AFP, confirming media reports.
There had been no casualties in the attacks, he added.
Gulf States say they reserve right to respond to Iranian ‘aggression’
The Iranian regime has hit a number of targets in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), including Abu Dhabi and Dubai, as well as the Middle East nations of Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and Jordan.
One video shared online showed the moment a drone slammed into the headquarters of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet in Bahrain.
Debris from an Iranian missile reportedly fell onto a residential neighbourhood in Dubai, triggering a large explosion as people ran for their lives, vision showed.
Also in Dubai, the luxury The Fairmont The Palm Hotel caught fire during a wave of Iranian retaliatory strikes, with verified footage showing thick black smoke billowing into the sky above the prestigious Palm Jumeirah area. The landmark Burj Al Arab hotel was also damaged.
Dubai’s international airport as well as other in the Middle East were also attacked.
Gulf States on Sunday vowed to defend themselves against Iranian attacks, including by “responding to the aggression” if needed.
The foreign ministers of the six Gulf Cooperation Council states – the UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait, all of which have experienced Iranian strikes – “reviewed the extensive damage resulting from the treacherous Iranian attacks” and discussed steps for restoring stability in the region, as they convened via video-link on Sunday to formulate a unified response.
Gulf countries “will take all necessary measures to defend their security and stability and to protect their territories, citizens, and residents, including the option of responding to the aggression”, a statement released after the meeting said.
It also called for the “immediate cessation of these attacks”, adding that the stability of the “Gulf region is not merelya regional concern but a fundamental pillar of global economic stability”.
EU to reinforce Red Sea naval mission
The EU will reinforce its naval mission in the Red Sea with additional vessels as Iran’s retaliation to US-Israeli strikes threatens maritime traffic, a European diplomat said on Sunday.
Two new French ships will join the EU’s Aspides mission, bringing to five the number of warships taking part, the diplomat told AFP on condition of anonymity, after foreign ministers from the bloc’s 27 nations held talks on Iran.
Projectiles fired from Lebanon, Israel says
Projectiles have fired from Lebanon, the Israeli military said on Monday, adding it had intercepted one of them.
“Following the sirens that sounded in several areas in northern Israel, a projectile that crossed from Lebanon into Israeli territory was intercepted by the Israeli Air Force, and several projectiles fell in open areas,” the Israeli military posted on Telegram.
Lebanese militant group Hezbollah said on Sunday it had a “duty” to support backer Iran after Israeli and US strikes.
But the group has not confirmed action since the US and Israel began attacks on Saturday.
Hezbollah has been weakened from conflict with Israel, which it entered to support Hamas following the Palestinian militant group’s deadly attack on Israel in October 2023 and the subsequent war in the Gaza Strip.
Israel and Hezbollah signed a ceasefire agreement in November 2024, although Israel has continued to strike targets it says are linked to the Lebanese group.
– With AFP
