"Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced in a video statement on Sunday that the UK agreed to allow the United States to use British bases for a 'specific and limited defensive purpose', marking a significant step in London's response to the deepening regional crisis. "The United States has requested permission to use British bases for that specific and limited defensive purpose. We have taken the decision to accept this request to prevent Iran firing missiles across the region," he proclaimed after emergency security consultations. The Prime Minister stressed that the UK is not participating in offensive strikes. "We are not joining these strikes, but we will continue with our defensive actions in the region," he asserted, noting, "We have British jets in the air as part of coordinated defensive operations which have already successfully intercepted Iranian strikes." "We will also bring experts from Ukraine together with our own experts to help Gulf partners shoot down Iranian drones attacking them," Starmer persisted, framing the move as part of broader efforts to protect civilians and allied infrastructure from aerial attacks. He explained, "The basis of our decision is the collective self-defence of long-standing friends and allies and protecting British lives." The development comes amid sharply escalating regional tensions following exchanges of strikes between the United States, Israel and Iran. Iranian state television earlier confirmed that Iran's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, who had ruled since 1989 and held ultimate authority over the country's political, military and religious institutions, was killed in strikes carried out on Saturday. Iranian officials warned that his killing would mark a turning point, with the Revolutionary Guard vowing retaliation and declaring that "this great crime will not go unpunished." Israeli leaders indicated that operations were ongoing, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signalling that further action against Iran was planned."