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US Pulls All Bombers From UK Base After Foiled Iran-Linked Terror Plot
ReUS Pulls All Bombers From UK Base After Foiled Iran-Linked Terror Plot
The U.S. Air Force has redeployed all heavy bombers from RAF Fairford in England after a suspected Iran-linked terror plot targeted the base. Six people were arrested and released on bail as the investigation continues.
The U.S. Air Force has withdrawn all of its heavy bombers from Royal Air Force Station Fairford in Gloucestershire, England, redeploying them to their home bases in the United States after a suspected terror plot that American officials have linked to Iran.
About a dozen B-1 bombers were among the aircraft removed from the base, a U.S. official said. RAF Fairford is the only European forward operating location for American heavy bombers and has supported U.S. military operations, including missions targeting Iranian sites.
«We can acknowledge now that all U.S. bombers that were deployed to RAF Fairford have re-deployed to their home stations in the United States,» a department official said. The Pentagon emphasized that despite the relocation, the bomber fleet remains fully prepared to launch long-range strike missions directly from the continental United States.
«The Airmen that operate America's bomber force, including B-1s, B-2s, and B-52s, remain ready to deliver precision global strike capabilities — including through operations that launch and recover from the continental United States — anywhere, anytime,» the official said.
The move followed a security incident in late September when U.K. officials said three suspicious vehicles containing fuel accelerants were found near RAF Fairford. «We can confirm that no improvised explosive devices were found. However, a quantity of petrol was recovered,» officials said.
Authorities began investigating potential ties to Iranian state proxies and eventually arrested a British-Iranian dual national in central London on suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts. Secretary of State Marco Rubio later said the suspected plot «clearly involves the hands of a foreign actor.»
President Donald Trump also told reporters that the incident may have been connected to Iran, which the United States has been at war with since February. A total of six people were arrested in connection with the incident, including five British nationals in their early 20s. Police said all suspects have been released on bail, adding that the investigation remains ongoing.
«I understand why this development will have come as a surprise to many, but I'd like to reiterate that it was an investigative decision, and one which is grounded in experience and careful consideration of policing powers,» officials said, referring to the release of the five British nationals.
Aviation watchers such as the Military Air Tracking Alliance observed dozens of B-52 and B-1 bombers operating out of RAF Fairford since the opening days of the Iran war. Observers noticed a host of B-1 bombers fly out of the base on Sunday.
The redeployment comes as President Trump weighs options for the war on Iran — including new strikes — despite his initial promises to Americans that the campaign would last a matter of weeks. «We have decisions that I'll make about Iran. Iran's been decimated. So the only question is — it'll either be the easy way, or the hard way,» Trump told reporters on Saturday as he left the White House for a rally in Ohio.
British authorities have linked the incident to Tehran. Iran has denied involvement, but it has previously said it considers any base used to attack its territory a legitimate target. U.K. officials say proxies linked to Iran have been behind a string of arson and other attacks in Britain and other countries, many targeting the Jewish community and intended to sow fear. They have warned that Tehran could expand its targets in the U.K. if conflicts in the Middle East continue.
RAF Fairford, located about 100 miles west of London, has been used by American bombers during decades of conflicts in the Middle East. The U.S. military still maintains a sizable presence in the region. On Thursday, a U.S. official said the recently deployed USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier, as well as the USS Malkin Island amphibious readiness group — a group of ships that together carry over 7,000 sailors and 2,000 Marines — are heading for the region. The official said the move could result in three carriers in the region as early as the end of October.
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