Prime Minister Keir Starmerhas granted the United States permission to operate a fleet of B-2 stealth bombers from British military installations, clearing the way for a sharp escalation in the allied air campaign against Iran.
The policy reversal, which will see the advanced aircraft launching from UK runways within 'a matter of days' according to Wednesday reports fromThe Telegraph, follows direct warnings from US President Donald Trump that a massive military offensive is imminent. The coordinated deployment reflects a rapidly shifting security landscape after a week of intense fighting across the Middle East.
Downing Street had initially rejected a formal request from the Trump administration to utiliseBritish territory for offensive strikes. That stance changed abruptly after Iran began firing indiscriminately at allied positions throughout the region. The Prime Minister subsequently authorised the use of the sites for limited defensive purposes, a decisionThe Telegraphdetailed in its Friday reporting.
The incoming American aircraft will be stationed at Diego Garcia in the Chagos Islands and RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire. Securing access to these strategic locations provides the Pentagon with essential staging grounds as military chiefs prepare to intensify their bombardment of Iranian targets.
The B-2 Spirit stealth bombers—valued at approximately $2 billion per aircraft—are widely recognised as the most expensive planes in the global military inventory, according toFox News. The same aircraft were deployed during the opening hours of the conflict last weekend, successfully targeting Iranian ballistic missile sites.
Relocating these high-value assets to British runways allows allied forces to maintain a relentless operational tempo. US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth confirmed on Thursday that aerial firepower over Tehran is about to surge dramatically, specifically citing the critical role of the newly secured UK bases.
'When we say more to come, it's more fighter squadrons, it's more capabilities, it's more defensive capabilities,' Hegseth stated. 'And it's more bomber pulses more frequently.'
The diplomatic agreement in London coincides with increasingly stark rhetoric from Washington. On Monday, President Trump addressed the escalating conflict, stating that the initial waves of airstrikes were merely a prelude to a much larger operation.
'We haven't even started hitting them hard,' the President said. 'The big wave hasn't even happened. The big one is coming soon.'
This uncompromising stance from the White House is mirrored by military leadership in Israel, where commanders are preparing to transition to the next phase of the joint campaign. The war, which reached its seventh day on Friday, shows no immediate signs of de-escalation.
Source: International Business Times UK
