UK allows US to use bases to strike Strait of Hormuz targets

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LONDON: Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Friday authorised United States forces to use British military bases for strikes against Iranian missile sites targeting shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. The move signals a strategic shift from purely defensive intercepts to proactive measures aimed at degrading Tehran’s ability to disrupt the global energy artery.

The decision represents a major expansion from previous restrictions that limited base usage to defensive operations. Previously, Starmer permitted United States forces to act only to intercept missiles that posed a direct threat to British lives or interests. Government ministers at Downing Street approved the target expansion on Friday to safeguard commercial vessels in the strategic oil channel. The new authorisation remains based on the principle of collective self-defence.

United States President Donald Trump criticised the timing of the decision, stating Britain "should have acted a lot faster". Trump had previously expressed frustration over the initial refusal to allow offensive strikes from United Kingdom soil.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the move, claiming Starmer is "putting British lives in danger". Araghchi asserted that the authorisation would lead to further escalation in the region.

The agreement facilitates proactive military action to reopen a waterway responsible for 20 per cent of global energy supplies as regional hostilities continue to disrupt international trade. Sources indicate the authorisation includes the use of key facilities such as RAF Fairford and the joint base at Diego Garcia, which have come under increasing threat from Iranian ballistic missiles.

While the prime minister has expanded the scope of military cooperation, the government maintains that London is committed to a swift resolution of the conflict to avoid being drawn into a broader war.