UK ready to defend itself after Iran warns of attack over U.S. military operations

UK 'ready to defend itself' after Iran says bases are 'legitimate targets

LONDON — The British government has reaffirmed that its armed forces remain fully prepared to defend the country after Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned that UK military facilities used to support American operations could become legitimate military targets.

The warning followed claims by the IRGC that U.S. aircraft conducting strikes against Iran had operated from RAF Fairford in southwest England. Iranian officials argued that any installation assisting such missions would be viewed as a lawful target in the event of further hostilities.

Responding to the threat, a UK government spokesperson stressed that Britain was equipped to respond to dangers originating both domestically and overseas. "Our armed forces are ready to keep the United Kingdom safe from any kind of attacks, whether it's on our soil or from abroad."

The spokesperson added that Britain's defence posture relies on an integrated air and missile defence system involving the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force, working in close coordination with NATO partners and supported by advanced military capabilities.

Defence Agreement With Washington

The statement comes after Prime Minister Andy Burnham was informed that the UK had reaffirmed an existing defence arrangement permitting the United States to use British bases for what officials described as the collective self-defence of the region.

According to the government, the agreement specifically supports U.S. defensive missions aimed at disrupting missile sites and military capabilities used to threaten international shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

British officials maintained that the country's position had not changed despite Tehran's warning. They said the government would continue protecting its citizens, national interests and allies in accordance with international law while seeking to prevent a broader regional conflict.

Regional Tensions Continue

The security warning coincides with an escalation in hostilities between Washington and Tehran. The United States has continued sustained military operations against Iranian targets following the breakdown of a temporary ceasefire, while Iran has responded with attacks targeting U.S. military facilities across neighbouring Arab states.

Earlier this year, reports indicated that Iran launched two ballistic missiles toward the joint U.S.-UK military base on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean. Neither missile struck the installation.

In a separate incident, an Iranian-designed Shahed drone caused limited damage after hitting facilities at Britain's Akrotiri airbase in southern Cyprus on March 2. British authorities later clarified that Akrotiri would not form part of the defence arrangement supporting U.S. operations.

Domestic Security Concerns

Security analysts believe Iran may possess missile technology capable of reaching the United Kingdom, although experts assess such weapons would likely lack precision, making the overall threat relatively limited.

Beyond conventional military risks, British authorities have repeatedly accused Tehran of engaging in cyber operations and using proxy networks to intimidate critics and opponents residing in the UK. Security agencies say they disrupted approximately 20 suspected Iranian-linked plots considered potentially lethal over the past year.

The British government has also moved to tighten restrictions on support for the IRGC, invoking new legal powers designed to counter the growing use of state-backed proxy organisations.

Those measures followed a series of attacks targeting Jewish sites in London. Officials said it was "almost certainly" the IRGC that directed a group believed to have been responsible for several of the incidents.

Separately, two Romanian nationals were sentenced to prison after prosecutors alleged they carried out the stabbing of a journalist working for a London-based Farsi-language media organisation on behalf of Iran.

Tehran has consistently rejected accusations linking it to attacks or covert operations in Britain, describing such claims as politically motivated and without factual basis.