The Telegraph:
America will use British bases to “dramatically” increase the number of strikes on Iran, the US defence secretary has said.
Pete Hegseth said it was “unfortunate” that Britain did not initially approve the use of its bases – including Diego Garcia in the Chagos Islands – from the beginning. “But we got there,” he said.
Due in part to Britain’s decision, other countries’ bases and the deployment of more warplanes, “the amount of firepower over Iran and over Tehran is about to surge dramatically,” Mr Hegseth said.
“When we say more to come, it’s more fighter squadrons, it’s more capabilities, it’s more defensive capabilities, and it’s more bomber pulses more frequently.
Sir Keir Starmer relaxed rules on the US use of British bases after Iran began firing indiscriminately at allies across the region. However, he also called on Donald Trump to reach a negotiated settlement with Iran.
The Prime Minister is under growing pressure over his handling of the crisis and faces accusations that he has not done enough to support allies in the region.
On Thursday, the US president refused to deny reports that he had described Sir Keir as a “loser” and repeated that he was “no Winston Churchill.”
www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/06/iran-war-latest-news-trump-israel-hezbollah/