If UK assets are being used strictly for defensive purposes to protect lives and prevent missile attacks, that is one thing.
But allowing British bases to be used for what looks increasingly like a war of aggression led by President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu is another matter entirely.
Diplomatic talks with Iran were ongoing. Civilian casualties are already being reported. The risk of rapid regional escalation is real. The economic consequences for ordinary working people here at home, from energy prices to wider instability, could be severe.
This has the unmistakable feel of mission creep. We have been here before. The lessons of Iraq were supposed to be clear: Britain must not allow itself to be drawn into military action without clear legality, clear objectives and democratic consent.
After what we have witnessed in Gaza, the idea that the UK should facilitate further offensive military action by two leaders whose judgment and conduct are deeply contested internationally raises profound moral and strategic questions.
Parliament must have the final say. The use of British bases for offensive military action cannot be waved through as an executive decision. It requires scrutiny, transparency and a vote.