Several American fighter jets have been deployed to a secretive UK-US base in the Indian Ocean to protect assets there, according to reports. Diego Garcia, part of the Chagos Islands which the UK controversially plans to hand over to Mauritius, is home to aircraft including long-range American B-52 Stratofrotress bombers.

At least four US Air Force F-15 fighters have been sent to help protect the base, according to The War Zone military news website, amid growing threats from Iran and its proxies. “F-15s are deployed to Diego Garcia to provide force protection,” a senior officer from US-Indo Pacific Command said, without confirming the number of jets sent. Diego Garcia is a strategic outpost in a remote location in the Indian Ocean.

As well as being a base for long-range American bombers, it also supports Royal Navy and US Navy vessels and has been used for operations in the Middle East region.

US bombers recently took off from Diego Garcia to carry out strikes on the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, reports say.

The War Zone reports that the bolstering of Diego Garcia’s defences comes as Iran commissions vessels capable of launching cruise and ballistic missiles, as well as long-range kamikaze drones.

Diego Garcia is the largest island in the Chagos archipelago, also known as the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT).

In October, the Government announced the UK was giving up sovereignty of the islands to Mauritius but would lease back Diego Garcia for 99 years at an unspecified cost — with an option to renew.

The move was met with fury from political rivals.

But now Sir Keir Starmer has reportedly delayed plans to hand over the Chagos Islands amid fears it could create a 'toxic' backlash from his own MPs due to the cost of the multi-billion pound settlement.

Senior sources in Government said the agreement was “ready to sign” after Donald Trump approved the plan, according to The Times.

The deal reportedly could cost around £90 million per year.