The British just told the White House: not so fast.
According to The Times of London, the United Kingdom has denied U.S. requests to use two critical bases — Royal Air Force Fairford in England and Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean — for possible strikes against Iran.
Why? London is worried about violating international law. And it’s worried about what happens next if Iran hits back.
That’s not a small decision. Diego Garcia isn’t just another airstrip. It’s a remote island fortress in the Chagos Islands that has long served as a joint U.S.–U.K. launch pad for bombers and long-range operations. RAF Fairford has hosted American B-52 and B-2 bombers during past Middle East crises. When the Pentagon wants reach without permission from half of Europe, those bases matter.
President Donald Trump made clear this week that they may be needed.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said that if negotiations with Iran fail, the United States might have to use Diego Garcia and Fairford. He also warned British Prime Minister Keir Starmer against transferring sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius — arguing that doing so could leave Britain exposed to a “highly unstable and dangerous” Iranian regime.
That warning lands in the middle of an already delicate situation.
In May 2025, London signed a treaty agreeing to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands — including Diego Garcia — to Mauritius. Under the agreement, Britain would lease back Diego Garcia and continue operating the joint U.S.-U.K. base for at least 99 years.
But the treaty still requires implementing legislation in the U.K. Parliament. It’s not a done deal.
Now the politics are getting tangled with strategy.
The Times reported that Trump may have withdrawn support for Britain’s plan to hand over control of the islands after London refused to allow the bases to be used for bombing operations against Iran. U.K. ministers have previously said the deal cannot proceed without U.S. support.
If Trump pulls that support, the sovereignty transfer could stall — or collapse.
Meanwhile, Trump says the clock is ticking.
On Thursday, the President said the world will know within 10 days whether the United States reaches a deal with Iran or takes military action. He said Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner had “some very good meetings” with Iranian officials — but he added that meaningful agreements with Tehran have historically been hard to secure.
“Otherwise bad things happen,” Trump said.
Behind the rhetoric, the military posture tells its own story.
The United States has quietly moved additional forces into the Middle East in recent days. The Wall Street Journal reported that the buildup of airpower is the largest in the region since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. The U.K. Defence Journal called it the largest surge of U.S. equipment since the Gulf Wars.
Aircraft now in theater include F-16s, F-22s and F-35s, along with multiple aircraft carriers. This isn’t a symbolic show of force. It’s a posture capable of sustaining a prolonged campaign — far beyond the limited strike on Iranian nuclear facilities during last year’s Israel-Iran clash.
Bottom line: Washington is loading the deck.
But without guaranteed access to Diego Garcia and RAF Fairford, planners lose two of their longest-range, least politically constrained launch points.
Allies are supposed to close ranks before a fight. Right now, London is hedging.
And Tehran is watching.
