UK lets US use British bases to strike Iranian sites targeting Strait of Hormuz

Ministers have agreed to let the US use British bases to strike Iranian sites targeting the Strait of Hormuz.

Downing Street said UK bases will now be used for US “defensive operations to degrade the missile sites and capabilities being used to attack ships”.

Up until this point, the Government has allowed the US to use British bases only to hit missile sites targeting British interests in the region.

It comes as US President Donald Trump piled pressure on Nato allies, calling them “cowards” for refusing to offer warships to reopen the Strait.

Mr Trump, who has has repeatedly berated countries including the UK for failing to respond to his request for support, claimed reopening the key oil and gas shipping route would be a “simple” military task with “little risk”.

Ministers met to discuss the latest developments on Friday afternoon where they reached the agreement, Downing Street said.

The move will likely anger Tehran, which has already claimed the UK providing its military bases to the US to use is “participation in aggression”.

A Downing Street spokesperson said: “Ministers condemned Iran’s expansion of its targets to include international shipping.

“They agreed that Iran’s reckless strikes, including on Red Ensign vessels and those of our close allies and Gulf partners, risked pushing the region further into crisis and worsening the economic impact being felt in the UK and around the world.

“They confirmed that the agreement for the US to use UK bases in the collective self-defence of the region includes US defensive operations to degrade the missile sites and capabilities being used to attack ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

“They reaffirmed that the principles behind the UK’s approach to the conflict remain the same: the UK remains committed to defending our people, our interests and our allies, acting in accordance with international law and not getting drawn into the wider conflict.

“Ministers underlined the need for urgent de-escalation and a swift resolution to the war.”

UK military planners have already joined the US Central Command to look at options for getting tankers through the strait, which has been effectively closed off by the threat of Iranian attacks in retaliation for the US-Israeli bombing campaign.

Defence sources have stressed the situation was so dangerous that not many nations would be willing to put warships “in the middle of that threat right now”.

It is not clear why Mr Trump believes such military action would involve little risk.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Mr Trump said Nato was a “paper tiger” without the US.

Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi earlier spoke to Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, who told him that UK operations in the region were in response to Iran’s own strikes on Gulf countries.

She also condemned the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and warned Tehran against targeting UK bases, territory or interests.

In a post in Farsi on Telegram, Mr Araghchi said he told Ms Cooper: “These actions will definitely be considered as participation in aggression and will be recorded in the history of relations between the two countries.

“At the same time, we reserve our inherent right to defend the country’s sovereignty and independence.”

Sir Keir Starmer had previously granted the US permission only for “defensive” action against Iranian missile sites from RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire and Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.

The Foreign Office said in a readout of the call that Ms Cooper condemned Iran’s “reckless attacks” on Gulf partners and critical energy infrastructure as well as its disruption and closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

She called for freedom of navigation to be restored immediately and reiterated the UK’s call to halt attacks on civilian infrastructure, including oil and gas installations.

“The Foreign Secretary made clear to the foreign minister that the defensive UK operations in the region were a response to the Iranian aggression against Gulf partner countries who had not attacked Iran and she called on Iran to immediately stop these reckless strikes against its neighbours.

“She made clear that the UK wants to see a swift resolution to this conflict.

“The Foreign Secretary also warned Iran against targeting UK bases, territory or interests directly, and restated the UK’s focus on regional stability and security.”

Downing Street had earlier defended the UK’s position, saying it was “not getting drawn into the wider war”.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch described the move as the “mother of all U-turns” in a post on X.

Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge said: “Where we have been clear from the outset that we would have allowed our closest military ally to use our bases, Starmer has been all over the place.

“When we need strong leadership in challenging times, Starmer is weak and indecisive.”

The Liberal Democrats said granting further permission for the US to use British bases must first have a parliamentary vote.

Foreign affairs spokesman Calum Miller said: “We have warned from the start that the UK has to avoid being dragged into another war in the Middle East with no obvious end.

“This decision by the Prime Minister reminds us all of the disaster of Iraq and shows how we’re being drawn further and further down Trump’s slippery slope.

“Starmer must now let Parliament vote on the terms of the agreement with the US for their use of UK bases.”