'Emergency' protest to be held at RAF base near Cotswolds beauty spot against use of site for 'illegal attacks on Iran'

Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament has organised an "emergency" protest at RAF Fairford on Saturday. It comes on the back of the announcement made by Keir Starmer that the UK has agreed to a US request to use British military bases for "defensive" strikes on Iranian missile sites.

RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, located near the Cotswolds beauty spot, is one such British military base being used by America for its military operation on Iran. Starmer made this announcement just hours before a British RAF base in Cyprus was hit by a drone strike on Sunday night.

Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament claims that the Prime Minister announcing that the UK will allow the US to use bases including RAF Fairford as part of the military campaign is "unlawful aggression".

It says: "Join Drone Wars UK, CND, and Oxfordshire Peace Campaign for a demonstration and peace vigil at Fairford US air base.

"US and Israeli illegal strikes on Iran have nothing to do with nuclear threats and everything to do with regime change. The UK is complicit, as the Prime Minister has announced it will allow the US to use bases including RAF Fairford as part of the military campaign.

"Join us to face down this unlawful aggression and demand an immediate end to the war with Iran.

"Bring banners, placards, food and friends! Dress appropriately for the weather." 

The campaign group's focus is for Britain to get rid of Trident - a system of submarines, missiles and weapons part of the UK's nuclear deterrent. It also wants the UK to "join the global majority of countries who don't have and don't want nuclear weapons."

The campaign group has called the protest on Saturday 'Hands off Iran - No to war!'. The protest is due to start at 1pm.

Intense Israeli airstrikes pounded the capitals of Iran and Lebanon early on Friday with the US apparently striking an Iranian drone carrier at sea, as the conflict in the Middle East continues.

Israel’s military said on Friday morning it had begun “a broad-scale wave of strikes” on Tehran, Iran’s capital.

Witnesses described the Israeli airstrikes as particularly intense, shaking homes in the area.

The war has escalated to affect countries across the Middle East and beyond.

Early on Friday, Iran fired missile and drone attacks into Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, all countries that host US forces. There were no immediate reports of casualties.