UK unlikely to join a US attack on Iran – but may help Gulf states if Tehran retaliates

Britain is unlikely to assist the US in an attack on Iran but a deployment of RAF Typhoons to Qatar last week signals a willingness to help regional allies if Tehran tries to widen the conflict in retaliation.A first strike on Iran is unlikely be in line with the UK’s interpretation of international law, but British forces could become involved if there is a need to help Qatar or other regional allies in self-defence.Last week, the RAF’s 12 Squadron, a joint Typhoon unit with the Qatari air force, moved from Lincolnshire to the Gulf state, while the US built up a substantial military presence for a possible attack against the Iranian regime.British sources said the squadron’s forward deployment was “at the request of the Qataris” – to help protect the country, home to the largest US airbase in the region, from any drone and missile counterattack.Earlier this month, Iran warned that US bases in the region, often also home to small numbers of British personnel, would be targeted in retaliation if Donald Trump bombed the country in support of Iranians protesting against the regime.Is Trump about to attack Iran? - The LatestKeir Starmer declined to be drawn into speculation about US military action in Iran when asked about the escalating crisis on Thursday while on a trip to China, and focused on familiar concerns about preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.“The big challenge here is to ensure that Iran doesn’t get a nuclear programme and we’re all absolutely agreed on that and we’re working with allies to that end and that is the central focus of what I’m doing with our allies,” he said.But British defence sources recognise that the US president is seeking to “give himself options” with the deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East earlier this week.Britain was one of several countries involved in assisting Israel in self-defence when it came under two waves of drone and missile attacks from Iran in April and October 2024. In April, UK fighters shot down an unspecified number of Iranian drones, but the RAF role in October was negligible.Typhoon jets would only expect to help in protecting Qatar or other Gulf states from drones and cruise missiles. Ballistic missiles fly too fast to be intercepted by jets, however, and can only be targeted by specialist air defence systems, such as US Patriot or Thaad systems.The al-Udeid airbase in Qatar is the largest US military facility in the Middle East. Home to about 10,000 US troops, it is also the US Central Command’s headquarters. Earlier this month it hosted about 100 UK RAF personnel, though most of these were evacuated during a previous escalation of tensions.US air force F-15 fighter jets have been redeployed from Lakenheath in Suffolk to the Muwaffaq Salti airbase in Jordan. Experts said their role was not likely to be in attacking Iran, but to defend against any possible retaliation against Jordan, Israel or Gulf states.