Iran war escalates: Trump plans “big” wave of airstrikes, US facilities in Bahrain targeted and Starmer criticises “regime change from the skies”

The war between Iran, the US, Israel and its allies continued to escalate as it entered its fourth day - as the Prime Minister rebuked Donald Trump’s approach to the conflict.

Sir Keir Starmer on Monday said his Government “does not believe in regime change from the skies”, in an apparent criticism of the US President’s bombing campaign in the Middle East, which was unleashed on Saturday.

The PM also told the House of Commons he stood by his decision not to get involved with America and Israel’s initial wave of strikes on Iran, and insisted any action by the UK “must always have a lawful basis and a viable thought-through plan”.

Following a decision not to allow the US to launch attacks from UK bases, Mr Trump criticised Sir Keir, telling the Telegraph he was “very disappointed”.

However, UK bases are now in play in the conflict, but only so the US can strike defensively to protect countries being targeted by Tehran, the PM said. The move is understood to include the joint US-UK Diego Garcia base in the Indian Ocean and RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, home to a number of US bombers.

The conflict spiralled throughout Monday, with a series of US airstrikes on Iran, while Israel targeted the militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon, allies of the Iranian regime and overnight, strikes have been reported on US facilities in Bahrain, with smoke reportedly seen rising from a naval base.

Tehran has also launched strikes against Israel, as well as oil and natural gas production facilities of Gulf states allied to the US.

In the US, Mr Trump suggested the war would escalate further, telling CNN a “big” wave of airstrikes on Iran is yet to come. He also said America planned for the conflict to last for some four or five weeks, and has signalled the US wants to destroy Iran’s missile capabilities, its navy and any hope of it obtaining nuclear weapons.

Mr Trump has, however, provided scant detail about what the US’s exit plan from the war might be. In a post on Truth Social early today, Mr Trump suggested the US had a “virtually unlimited” supply of “medium and upper medium grade” munitions which could support the conflict “forever”.

“The United States Munitions Stockpiles have, at the medium and upper medium grade, never been higher or better – As was stated to me today, we have a virtually unlimited supply of these weapons," he said. “Wars can be fought ‘forever,’ and very successfully, using just these supplies (which are better than other countries finest arms!).”

In the same post, Mr Trump said his predecessor Joe Biden had given away much of the nation’s “super high end” munitions to Ukraine, adding: “Fortunately, I rebuilt the military in my first term, and continue to do so. The United States is stocked, and ready to WIN, BIG!!!”

Meanwhile, Britons continue to remain stranded throughout the Middle East, with more than 100,000 having registered their presence with the Foreign Office amid evacuation planning. Large areas of airspace over the region remain closed because of the fighting, and tourism safe spots like Dubai have come under fire in missile attacks.

However, some flights have started to bring people home to the UK. On Monday afternoon, an Etihad Airways flight carrying stranded British nationals arrived at Heathrow airport, according to flight tracking company Flightradar24.