US kept UK off the loop on Iran strikes, sources say
Mar 5th 2026
Whitehall sources say Britain was warned by equipment movements and a US request to use bases but was not given precise operational details before US and Israeli strikes on Iran, which sources reported killed Iran’s supreme leader, the Guardian says.
- US did not share exact operational details or timings with the UK before joint strikes on Iran, according to the Guardian sources.
- The UK knew action was imminent from equipment movements and routine intelligence but was not given a tipoff about the exact timing of the strikes.
- Prime Minister Keir Starmer initially declined US permission to use British bases for the operation, drawing criticism from Donald Trump.
- Sources reported the strikes killed Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and 47 other military leaders, according to the Guardian's reporting.
- Starmer says British forces and systems including radar, air defenses, counter‑drone systems, Typhoons and F‑35s have been deployed to protect lives and support joint operations.