Key facts
- UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has approved the use of UK bases for US "defensive" air strikes on Iran.
- This policy continues that of former Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
- US forces have been conducting air strikes on Iran for 11 consecutive nights.
- UK rights groups have previously raised concerns that the policy may violate international law.
- Burnham's decision follows a call with Donald Trump regarding shipping security in the Strait of Hormuz.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has approved the continued use of some UK bases by US forces for "defensive" air strikes targeting Iran, a policy initiated by his predecessor Keir Starmer. The decision comes as US bombardment of Iranian cities enters its eleventh consecutive night, with Iranian media reporting explosions in several locations.
According to Bloomberg News, sources indicated that a meeting on Friday involving senior ministers and officials decided that US planes could continue to utilize bases at Diego Garcia and RAF Fairford. Burnham was briefed and agreed with this continuation of Starmer's policy.
US Central Command stated that the strikes targeted operations centers, logistics infrastructure, maritime capabilities, and drone storage facilities. In response, Iran has launched retaliatory strikes against its US-allied neighbors, including Jordan, Bahrain, Syria, and Kuwait.
The policy's continuation is expected to face criticism from UK rights groups, which previously warned that allowing US forces to use British airbases for strikes could contravene international law. Starmer had initially justified the policy on grounds of "collective self-defence" for Gulf state allies, particularly concerning the Strait of Hormuz.
Human Rights Watch's UK director, Yasmine Ahmed, had written to the prime minister, noting that the government's legal justification did not address issues related to international humanitarian law. She highlighted a prior US airstrike on a primary school in Minab, Iran, which resulted in over 150 deaths, including many children, and for which the Pentagon later acknowledged US military responsibility.
Burnham's decision was preceded by a phone call with Donald Trump, during which they discussed securing shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Trump later posted on Truth Social that their conversation covered "North Sea Oil, Trade, the Military Alliance, Demining of the Hormuz Strait" and that it "went very well."