FOURTEEN peace activists calling for an end to British complicity in the US’s war were arrested today at Lakenheath RAF base as Donald Trump escalated his violent rhetoric in the war on Iran, claiming “a whole civilisation will die tonight.”

Police arrested the 14 protesters as they attempted to block the main gates of the base, which they say hosts US warplanes flying bombing missions over Iran.

The Lakenheath Alliance for Peace (LAP) said they had successfully stopped any cars or military vehicles from entering or exiting the base for six hours before the arrests.

LAP has been collecting information on the US presence on the base, which they say is exclusively used by the US Air Force.

The group has also accused the US of stationing nuclear weapons at the site and said it counted at least 200 fighter jets and bombers which took off from the base before heading to Iran.

Tuesday’s action follows a week-long peace encampment erected outside RAF Lakenheath, which drew to a close on today.

Before being apprehended by Suffolk Police, peace activists locked themselves to the gates of the RAF base using heavy duty locks to attach themselves to a car and a large peace symbol.

The arrests were followed by an escalation of Donald Trump’s violent rhetoric today.

On his social media site Truth Social, the US president shared a statement before planned attacks on Iran last night saying they could mark “one of the most important moments in the long and complex history of the world.

“A whole civilisation will die tonight, never to be brought back again,” he wrote. “I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will.”

Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament general secretary Sophie Bolt said “the incredible actions by brave activists at RAF Lakenheath reflect the scale of anger in this country against Britain’s military involvement in Trump’s illegal war on Iran.”

She told the Morning Star: “These protests have taken on even greater importance given Trump’s veiled threat on social media to use nuclear weapons against the people of Iran.

“US nuclear weapons now stationed at RAF Lakenheath can be launched by F35As at the base.

“While Starmer argues he’s keeping Britain out of this war, the facts are clear,” Ms Bolt added. “British bases across the country are actively supporting Trump’s illegal war that is carrying out war crimes against Iran every day.

“Starmer has to pull out of this war — and more than that, the British government has to end all military co-operation with the US now.”

Overnight on Monday, US forces struck military targets on Iran’s Kharg Island in the Strait of Hormuz, according to the White House.

Following the US president’s threats to Iran today, his Vice-President JD Vance said the US had largely achieved its military objectives in Iran, claiming that the “nature of the conclusion is ultimately up to the Iranians.”

Left Labour MP Richard Burgon said the US president’s comments amounted to planning “widespread war crimes against Iran” and his words seemed to be a threat to use nuclear weapons.

The Leeds East MP said: “This is an incredibly dangerous moment for the whole world.

“Our government must immediately withdraw all access to UK bases for any US attacks on Iran.”

At the protest today, retired teacher Marie Walsh said: “We are here to interrupt business as usual, and to say in the name of humanity ‘STOP’”.

Rajan Naidu, who was one of the protesters who locked themselves to the car and the peace symbol said: “Though being on British sovereign territory this base is used by the US to pursue an illegal war of aggression, raining death and misery on the people of Iran.

“The base is also being used to aid and abet Israeli war crimes and genocide against the Palestinian people. Britain, by allowing these crimes against humanity is complicit in them, and therefore culpable for them.”

The MoD was approached for comment.