The UK is sending planes to the Middle East to protect its military bases.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that the UK is currently redeploying aircraft to the Middle East to protect its military bases and urged Israel and Iran to de-escalate the conflict. "We are deploying assets to the region, including warplanes," Starmer told reporters en route to Canada for the G7 summit. In addition to assets from the Royal Air Force already in the Middle East as part of the UK's "Shader Operation" commitment, this deployment also includes fighter jets and refueling aircraft. According to reports from Iranian state media cited by the BBC on Saturday, Iran has warned the UK, US, and France that if the three countries assist in intercepting Iranian missile and drone operations in retaliation for Israeli attacks on its nuclear assets, Iran will attack their bases and ships. Unlike the US, the UK did not assist in shooting down an Iranian drone overnight, even though they did so last year. When asked why the UK did not intervene, Starmer said he hopes to see a de-escalation of tensions in the region. "My firm position is that the conflict needs to be de-escalated, and that has been the primary focus of my discussions," he told reporters. Starmer said he discussed potential diplomatic solutions with US President Donald Trump on Friday.