New British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has agreed to allow the United States to use British military bases for "defensive strikes" against Iran, as US President Donald Trump escalates his military operations against Tehran.

Bloomberg quoted people familiar with the matter as saying that Starmer chaired a meeting on Friday that included senior ministers and officials to discuss British policy following the US resumption of military operations against Iran earlier this month.

The sources said ministers decided during the meeting to maintain the existing policy, which allows US aircraft to use the Diego Garcia base in the Indian Ocean and the Royal Air Force base "RAF Fairford" in Gloucestershire, England, to carry out missions that, according to the British description, are aimed at countering the Iranian missile threat and targeting sites used to threaten navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

They added that Burnham, who assumed the premiership on Monday, was briefed on the outcomes of the discussions and approved the decision.

The sources explained that Burnham will continue the previous government's approach regarding approval of the use of British bases in what are known as US "defensive" strikes against Iran, meaning that British bases are candidates to participate in some ongoing US operations.

The decision came after the tenth day of the resumption of US military operations, as US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that it had targeted Iranian military command centers, missile launch platforms, and air defense systems overnight.

Political pressures and legal concerns

But the decisions taken by Starmer sparked political challenges, as he faced pressure from the British left to prevent the use of military bases, versus pressure from US President Donald Trump to expand Britain's role in supporting the war.

Also, Trump's statements, in which he threatened to target Iranian civilian infrastructure such as bridges and power plants, raised concerns among British officials due to the potential legal implications of any such strikes.

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

Rapprochement with Trump

The sources suggested that Burnham's decision would interpret the relatively positive tone that Trump expressed toward him after his move to the Prime Minister's residence at 10 Downing Street.

Burnham had a phone call with Trump after assuming the premiership on Monday, and the British Prime Minister's office said in a statement that Burnham affirmed during the call "the UK's commitment to ensuring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz."

For his part, Trump praised the conversation in a post on the "Truth Social" platform, saying: "We discussed North Sea oil, trade, the military alliance, mine clearance in the Strait of Hormuz, and many other issues... The call was interesting and went very well."

Britain and the Iran war

Britain's former Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in March that he does not rule out Britain joining offensive operations against Iran, and warned that the conflict could continue for some time.

Starmer called for the need to move forward quickly in increasing his country's defense spending.

Leader of the British Green Party, Zak Polanski, said he had previously looked relatively positively at the possibility of Andy Burnham taking over the leadership of the Labour Party, but he has become less enthusiastic recently.

He added that he fears Burnham will end up being "Keir Starmer with a different face."