Iran warns UK bases are targets after 12 nights of US strikes

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Thursday that any source launching an attack on Iran will become a "legitimate target" for the country's armed forces, directly threatening British military bases used by the United States for its bombing campaign.

"Any base used for aggression against Iranian territory constitutes a legitimate target for our forces," the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said in a statement carried by the Tasnim news agency, specifically naming RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire as a launch point for US bombing missions two days earlier.

The threat came as the US carried out a 12th consecutive night of strikes against Iranian targets. Iran has already struck two UK bases — a drone hit RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus on March 1, and two ballistic missiles were fired at the Diego Garcia base in the Chagos Islands on March 19, according to UK defense officials. One of the missiles failed mid-flight while the other was intercepted by a US airship.

The widening theater of operations threatens to disrupt global energy markets, with the Strait of Hormuz handling about a fifth of the world's oil trade. The conflict has expanded beyond direct US-Iran exchanges to include bases in Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, where Iranian strikes have killed American service personnel.

UK responds as conflict widens

The UK government said it is "ready to defend itself" against any attack. "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," a government spokesperson said, adding that the UK operates a layered approach to air and missile defense in coordination with NATO allies.

The policy allowing the US to launch defensive operations from British bases was not altered by new Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who was notified last week that the agreement had been extended. The UK has drawn a line between permitting defensive missions and participating in offensive operations.

Iran's IRGC accused the "British monarchy regime" of being the "primary cause of hardships in our region with a black record of partitioning Islamic nations, widespread massacres, imposing despotic regimes, and organising the occupation of Palestine."

Market implications

The escalating conflict has pushed investors toward safe-haven assets. Gold has attracted bids as a geopolitical hedge while crude oil benchmarks price in the risk of supply disruption across the Middle East. The last time Iran directly targeted UK military installations in March, Brent crude rose more than 3 percent in the following session as traders assessed the risk of a broader regional conflict.

The 12-night US bombing campaign marks the most sustained American military action in the Middle East since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Iran has responded by targeting not only US assets but also allied bases, widening the geographic scope of the conflict and raising the stakes for European nations hosting American forces.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.