By IMOGEN GARFINKEL – TheDailyMail.com
The United Kingdom has blocked the United States from using RAF bases to launch a strike on Iran, prompting anger from President Donald Trump.
The disagreement over the use of the British military sites is behind Trump’s withdrawal of his support for Sir Keir Starmer’s deal to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, a report has claimed.
It comes as the White House is drawing up a detailed military plan for an attack on Iran involving the use of both Diego Garcia and RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, the site of America’s fleet of heavy bombers in Europe.
Defence officials reportedly briefed Trump that the US will be ready to begin a war by Saturday, following a formidable build-up of American aircraft and ships in recent days.
After the deployment of around 50 extra fighting jets, air-to-air refuelling tankers and other aircraft towards the Middle East, the military assets will reach the necessary level for airstrikes to begin by the weekend.
However, under the conditions of long-standing agreements with the White House, British bases can only be used for military operations that have been agreed in advance with Number 10.
As per international law, there is no formal distinction between a nation carrying out a strike and those in support, if the latter have ‘knowledge of the circumstances of the internationally wrongful act’.
The UK has not yet granted permission to the US to use the military sites in the event that Trump orders an attack on Tehran, because of concerns that the strike would be a breach of international law, according to a report in the Times.