Why are UK military bases being used in Iran conflict?

The US is likely to use RAF Fairford as one of its bases for "defensive" strikes on Iranian missile sites, the BBC understands.

Sir Keir Starmer announced last night that the UK had agreed to the request from the US. The base, located on the border of Gloucestershire and Wiltshire, has been used by the US in the past to conduct long-range heavy bombing missions.

The move comes after the US and Israel began attacking Iran on Saturday and President Donald Trump encouraged Iranians to remove their government. The UK has "played no role" in strikes in the Middle East, Sir Keir said.

"You can't avoid being drawn in if you're a country like the UK," said the former British ambassador to Iran.

The Royal Air Force station is located in the Cotswolds, on the border of Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, about four miles (6.4km) south of the town of Fairford, which sits along the River Coln.

The countryside area is typically quiet, but about 170,000 people descend on the RAF site every July for the Royal International Air Tattoo, which is the largest military air show in the world.

Since it opened in January 1944, RAF Fairford has been used for various reasons.

The United States Air Force (USAF) 501st Combat Support Wing manages and supports operations and the site is predominantly used by USAF heavy bombers like the B-1B Lancer, the B-2A Spirit and the B-5H Stratofortress.

It also routinely supports Bomber Task Force operations.

Due to its long runway, Fairford was used as the test centre for Concorde aircraft until 1977.

During World War Two, the RAF's No.620 Squadron's fleet used the base for airborne forces operations which included parachute drops of troops and supplies and towing Airspeed Horsa assault gliders.

Troop carriers and gliders from Fairford were used for the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944.

The site was also used to lift British troops for Operation Market Garden in the German-occupied Netherlands in September 1944.

In the Cold War, USAF Strategic Air Command units occupied Fairford and other RAF bases to build up a deterrent in Europe against the Soviets.

Bombers and tankers from Eaker Air Force Base in Arkansas were deployed from Fairford in the first Gulf War in 1991.

The station was used also during the Iraq War of 2003.

It was reported last month that the government had not given permission for the US to use UK military bases to support any potential US strikes on Iran.

But, on Sunday evening, the prime minister announced British military bases would be used for "defensive" strikes on the country.

Donald Trump said it "may be necessary" for the US to use RAF Fairford for operations should Iran "decide not to make a deal".

It is also believed that Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean will be used by the US for strikes on Iranian missile sites.

After the US and Israel attacked Iran on Saturday, the Iranian regime retaliated with attacks on US assets and countries in the region with a US military presence, including Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Iraq.

A British RAF base in Cyprus was also hit by a drone strike on Sunday night.

Investigations are under way to establish where it was fired from.

Rob Macaire, who lives in Marlborough, Wiltshire, served as the UK ambassador to Iran from 2018 until 2021.

He said it was "looking increasingly likely" the tension would reach the scale it has given the "huge" build up and coordination between the US and Israel.

"I think when you get a military clash as serious and as large-scale as this you get into territories where it's completely unpredictable and no one can see where it's going to go," said Macaire.

"I think the government has done what you'd expect it to do which was to stay out of these initial attacks on Iran… but you can't avoid being drawn in if you're a country like the UK," he said.

"We have a lot of people in the Gulf, we have a lot of interest in the Gulf, we have military assets in the Gulf," said Macaire.

"When they come under attack, obviously there's a question of self defence, so I think the government has taken the steps you'd expect it to take at this stage."

Will Stone, MP for North Swindon, it was important to be "very clear" that the use of RAF Fairford in the US-Israel war with Iran would be for "a defensive purpose and not any offensive action".

"It's the difference between stopping [Iran] striking other places and striking at them," he said.

Stone added that the UK had to defend its troops and families in the Middle East and Cyprus and support its allied countries.

He said he hoped the conflict could come to "a swift resolution".

"That would be the ideal situation for everybody to have a diplomatic solution which brings Iran around the table, ceasing their nuclear weapon programme," he added.

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