Britain says forces ready to defend country after Iran warning over US bombers

LONDON: Britain said its armed forces are prepared to defend the country after Iran’s Revolutionary Guards warned that any British base used by the United States for bombing missions against Iran would be treated as a legitimate target.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the IRGC said the United States had carried out bombing operations against Iran from Fairford in southwest England. Prime Minister Andy Burnham was informed last week that Britain had recommitted to an existing arrangement allowing the US to use British bases for what London described as collective self-defence in the region.

A British government spokesperson said the country’s military was prepared to respond to threats at home and from abroad.

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 this included a layered air and missile defence system using Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force capabilities in coordination with NATO allies.

This includes through operating a layered approach to air and missile defence, provided by Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force assets equipped with a range of advanced capabilities, working closely with our NATO allies.

Defence arrangement and Iran warning

The British government said on Wednesday that the existing agreement with Washington applied to US defensive operations aimed at degrading missile sites and capabilities used in attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Responding to Tehran’s warning, the spokesperson said Britain’s position had not changed and that it remained committed to protecting its people, interests and allies in line with international law while seeking to avoid being pulled into a broader conflict.

The United States had launched a 13th straight night of attacks on Iran after an interim truce effectively collapsed, while Tehran fired at US bases in neighbouring Arab countries.

Recent incidents and security concerns

In March, Iran was reported to have launched two ballistic missiles at the US-UK military base on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, though neither struck the target. On March 2, an Iranian-type Shahed drone caused minor damage when it hit facilities at Britain’s Akrotiri airbase in southern Cyprus. Britain later said Akrotiri would not be covered by the defensive arrangement with the United States.

Experts believe Iran may have a missile capable of reaching London, although it would likely be inaccurate and the overall risk was considered low.

Britain has for years accused Iran of cyberattacks and of relying on criminal gangs and proxy actors to target opponents and dissidents on British soil. The security services said there had been 20 potentially lethal Iranian-backed plots in the past year.

Earlier this month, Britain outlawed support for the IRGC using new powers introduced to counter what it described as the increasing use of state-backed proxies. The move also followed a series of attacks on Jewish sites in London. The government said the IRGC had almost certainly directed a group believed to have carried out several of those attacks.

Two Romanian nationals were jailed this month after prosecutors said they had been acting for Iran when they stabbed a journalist working for a Farsi-language media organisation in London. Tehran has consistently denied involvement in such incidents and has described the allegations as unfounded and politically motivated.