US removes all bombers from RAF Fairford base after terror threat

The United States has withdrawn all bombers from RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, the UK base at the centre of a counter-terrorism investigation. A Pentagon official confirmed on Sunday that the aircraft had been moved back to their home stations in America. The move followed a major incident in late September when police were alerted to three suspicious vehicles near the airbase.

Immediate withdrawal

Around a dozen B-1 bombers were flown out of the base on Sunday, according to tracking websites. And US media reported that a new threat had prompted the removal. The New York Times said US commanders had received new information about an Iran-backed plot against RAF Fairford, with specific details emerging in the previous 24 hours. Planes reportedly took off while aerial refuelling aircraft were still being scrambled to support the flights to the US.

Whitehall officials did not dispute that Washington’s decision was a response to the incident at the base. But they stressed that it was a military, not political, decision taken at an operational level and communicated from the US military to British counterparts. The withdrawal comes as the US tries to recover from damage inflicted on its aircraft by Iranian precision strikes. It removes a US foothold outside continental Europe, though the Pentagon said bombers remain able to conduct missions from the continental United States.

Investigation and reaction

Five men aged 23 to 25 were arrested in the early hours after vehicles were reported travelling towards the base, which is operated by the US Air Force. All five are UK nationals from London. They were initially arrested on suspicion of explosives offences and later on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act. They have been released on bail. A sixth man, a 25-year-old UK-Iranian national, was arrested in London on Thursday and also released on bail.

Days after the incident, Prime Minister Andy Burnham said there were strong indications Iran played a part. Tehran has strongly denied any involvement. US President Donald Trump said he was surprised the five men were released on bail. “We know everything about them, we would not have released them,” he said. Trump added that the UK had worked very closely with the US on the matter.

Ezra Cohen, a former defence official under Trump’s first administration, called the decision to move the planes prudent. “These are very, very unique platforms that aren’t being produced any more, and we have a limited number of them. The B-1 bomber is a strategic asset, and we’re going to take steps to protect it, from all sorts of threats,” he said. Cohen said the decision raises the cost of striking Iran, as aircraft will now have to fly from the US or another base in Europe.

Residents near RAF Fairford expressed relief at the bombers’ departure. One villager said she was thrilled, citing noise and feeling increasingly vulnerable in recent weeks. Another, who had seen bombs loaded aboard aircraft from his back garden, knew something was happening when he saw planes leaving one after another on Sunday.