Britain is deliberating whether to offer military support to the United States if President Donald Trump decides to intervene in Israel’s war against Iran.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer convened an emergency Cobra meeting in Downing Street on Wednesday afternoon, joined by senior security officials and ministers, to assess the growing conflict in the Middle East.
A key focus of the meeting was how the UK might respond if Washington requests assistance for air strikes on Iranian targets. The meeting reportedly concluded around 4:45pm.
Central to the UK’s potential role is the Diego Garcia air base in the Indian Ocean, which is jointly operated with the US. The base houses America’s B-2 Spirit stealth bombers—capable of deploying “bunker-busting” bombs designed to penetrate heavily fortified sites such as Iran’s underground Fordow nuclear facility. Trump would likely need UK permission to launch such missions from the base.
Starmer chaired the high-level briefing shortly after returning from the G7 summit in Canada, where world leaders emphasised their commitment to peace and stability. However, they stopped short of calling for a ceasefire between Israel and Iran. Meanwhile, reports indicated that President Trump had left the summit early to meet with US military leaders, fuelling speculation over American involvement in Israeli military operations.
On Wednesday, Israel continued its aerial campaign against Iran for a sixth consecutive day, with jets reportedly striking multiple targets in Tehran overnight. According to Israeli officials, the air strikes targeted a centrifuge facility linked to Iran’s nuclear program and a factory producing missile components. Iran has accused Israel of killing civilians in the attacks.
The US-based Human Rights Activists group reported that 585 people have been killed so far in Iran, including 239 civilians. In retaliation, Iran has launched roughly 400 missiles and hundreds of drones at Israel, resulting in at least 24 deaths. However, the intensity of Iran’s attacks appeared to lessen by Tuesday night, with only 10 missiles intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome defence system.
Amid escalating rhetoric, President Trump reportedly held talks with top military advisers on Tuesday night. In a series of provocative social media posts, he called Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei an “easy target” and demanded Iran’s “unconditional surrender”. Khamenei responded with a stark warning that any US military action would lead to “irreparable damage” for America.
Britain leader speaks
Despite growing concerns, Downing Street maintains that the UK remains committed to de-escalation. Starmer previously stated that Trump appeared focused on reducing tensions in the region. When asked on Wednesday if the Prime Minister still believed the US would refrain from military involvement, a No 10 spokesperson reiterated that Britain’s position was to avoid further escalation.
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