A US bomber capable of carrying 24 cruise missiles has landed in the UK after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer approved “defensive” US action against Iranian missile sites from UK bases.
Sir Keir had initially refused to grant permission for the US to use UK bases in its joint offensive with Israel against Iran, which caused a disagreement with President Donald Trump.
The arrival of the huge aircraft comes after US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Thursday that strikes on Iran were “about to surge dramatically”.
The 146ft (44.5m) B-1 Lancer arrived at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire on Friday evening.
Trump told journalists in the Oval Office earlier this week he was “not happy with the UK” over the decision, which led to US planes “flying many extra hours” to carry out strikes last weekend.
After granting the US permission to use RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire and Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, the prime minister told MPs the government “does not believe in regime change from the skies”.
RAF Fairford, 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 B-1 bomber weighs 86 tonnes and is the fastest bomber in the US Air Force, according to Boeing, hitting speeds of more than 900mph (1,448.4km/h).
Nicknamed “the Bone”, the US bomber has advanced radar and GPS systems to help hit targets, and electronic jammers, radar warnings and a decoy system to protect it from enemies.
Military analyst and former British Army Officer Justin Crump said the B1-Lancer is “one of the most significant bombers in the world” and is capabable carrying large bomb loads a long way, quickly, if it needs to.
Crump, the CEO of private intelligence firm Sibylline, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that “shuttling from RAF Fairford is a lot more efficient” and “makes sense” for the US as the commute from the US to Iran and back is lengthy.
The war between Israel, the US and Iran entered its eighth day on Saturday.
Overnight, explosions rocked Tehran following Trump’s assertion that there will be “no deal” with Iran except “unconditional surrender”.
Elsewhere, the UK has also faced criticism over its response to drone attacks on the RAF’s Akrotiri base in Cyprus.
Downing Street rejected suggestions the government failed to provide enough military assets in the Middle East after the base was hit.
Sir Keir told reporters on Thursday protective measures at the airbase have always been in place.
The drone strike on the British military base caused “minimal damage” and did not result in any casualties.