US President Donald Trump said the UK “should have acted a lot faster” in allowing America to use British bases to strike Iranian missile sites targeting the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump’s comment came after ministers have agreed to let the US use British bases to strike Iranian sites targeting the Strait of Hormuz. Downing Street said UK bases will now be used for US “defensive operations to degrade the missile sites and capabilities being used to attack ships”. Up until this point, the Government has allowed the US to use British bases only to hit missile sites targeting British interests in the region. The decision to let US access bases to strike Iran comes after Trump said he was “unhappy with the UK” and other European countries, claiming they were being “non-responsive” during the war.

Trump previously also said NATO allies were “cowards” for refusing to offer warships to reopen the Strait. Today, speaking to reporters outside the White House, US President Donald Trump said: “It’s been a very late response from the UK. I’m surprised because the relationship is so good, but this has never happened before. They were really, pretty much our first ally, all over the world.” Mr Trump confirmed he had spoken to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer when asked by a reporter.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch commented the decision on social media and called the ministers’ decision “the mother of all U-turns”, while the Lib Dem said “granting further permission for the US to use British bases must first have a Parliamentary vote”.

A N10 spokesperson said: “They confirmed that the agreement for the US to use UK bases in the collective self-defence of the region includes US defensive operations to degrade the missile sites and capabilities being used to attack ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

“They reaffirmed that the principles behind the UK’s approach to the conflict remain the same: the UK remains committed to defending our people, our interests and our allies, acting in accordance with international law and not getting drawn into the wider conflict. Ministers underlined the need for urgent de-escalation and a swift resolution to the war.”

Earlier today, Iran’s foreign minister has warned the UK it sees its choice to let the US use British bases as “participation in aggression” in a phone call with Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper.

The Foreign Secretary has warned Tehran against targeting UK interests as her Iranian counterpart said the UK providing its military bases to the US to use is seen as “participation in aggression”. She called for freedom of navigation to be restored immediately and reiterated the UK’s call to halt attacks on civilian infrastructure, including oil and gas installations.

Responding to the US getting permission to use British bases to strike Iranian sites targeting the Strait of Hormuz, shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge said: “After weeks of dither and finger pointing, the Prime Minister has once again changed his mind and performed yet another screeching U-turn. The Prime Minister had the Navy’s only active minesweeper taken out of the Gulf a week before the war began.” He also said “Starmer is weak and indecisive”.

Tehran continued to target oil infrastructure in the Middle East in the last few days. The attack is likely to affect the current cost of oil, which has already been impacted by the tension and conflict in the Middle East. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia threatened to join the fighting directly, a move that could plunge the Middle East into a regional war.