Tehran has declared RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire a “legitimate military target” after US B-1B strategic bombers reportedly used the British base for strikes against Iran.
The Iranian threat is intended to pressure Britain into denying Washington access to its military infrastructure. RAF Fairford serves as an important forward operating base for US heavy bombers in Europe and has a runway capable of supporting fully loaded B-1B and B-52 aircraft.
The distance from western Iran to Britain is approximately 3,600–3,800 kilometers. Iran may possess developmental or multistage missiles theoretically capable of reaching that range, but their accuracy would likely be limited and any launch would face layered British and NATO missile defenses.
