Britain confirmed on Thursday that its armed forces are on standby to defend the country against any attack, following a threat issued by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard after London agreed to allow the United States to use British military bases.

A spokesperson for the British government said, "Our armed forces are ready to maintain the security of the United Kingdom and protect it from any type of attack, whether on our territory or from abroad. The United Kingdom is on standby to defend itself around the clock."

He added that Britain relies on a "multi-layered approach to air and missile defense, including capabilities of the Royal Navy, the British Army, and the Royal Air Force, all operating in close coordination with the United Kingdom's allies in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)."

Use of British Bases

The British stance comes after the new British Prime Minister Andy Burnham agreed to allow the United States to use British military bases to carry out what London describes as "defensive strikes" against Iran.

Bloomberg quoted informed sources saying that former Prime Minister Keir Starmer chaired a meeting that included senior ministers and officials to discuss British policy after the United States resumed its military operations against Iran, before ministers decided to maintain the policy allowing US aircraft to use Diego Garcia base in the Indian Ocean and the Royal Air Force base "RAF Fairford" in England to carry out missions aimed at countering the threat of Iranian missiles and sites used to threaten navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

The sources added that Burnham, who became prime minister on Monday, was informed of the results of the discussions and agreed to the decision, and will continue the previous government's approach regarding allowing the use of British bases in what London describes as US "defensive" strikes against Iran.

The British policy has sparked internal pressure, as the government faced demands from the British left to prevent the use of military bases, in contrast to pressure from US President Donald Trump to expand the British role in supporting military operations.

Trump's threats to target Iranian civilian infrastructure, such as bridges and power plants, also raised concerns among British officials about the potential legal repercussions of such strikes.

According to Bloomberg, Burnham is expected to face criticism from the British Green Party and the Liberal Democrats, who consider that allowing the use of British bases makes the United Kingdom a partner in war crimes.

Burnham had affirmed, during his first phone call with Trump after becoming prime minister, the United Kingdom's commitment to ensuring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, while the US president praised the conversation, saying it addressed issues including the military alliance and mine clearance in the Strait of Hormuz, and described it as having "gone very well."