US Bombers Withdrawn From Britain after New Security Threat
Washington moves all aircraft from RAF Fairford back to US home stations
WASHINGTON/LONDON: The United States has withdrawn all of its long-range bombers from RAF Fairford in Britain and returned the aircraft to their home stations in the US following what an American official described as a “real world incident” involving a new security threat.
The move comes days after British authorities arrested several people over an alleged Iranian plot targeting the UK airbase where the US aircraft had been deployed.
A US official confirmed that all American bombers stationed at RAF Fairford had been redeployed to their home bases in the United States, but provided no details about the nature of the latest threat or the circumstances that prompted the withdrawal.
The official, cited by CNN, said the threat was considered a genuine real-world security incident. The decision to return the bombers to the United States rather than move them to another base in the region was described as unusual.
The British Ministry of Defence declined to comment on the reported redeployment.
RAF Fairford has served as an operating location for US long-range bomber missions and is associated with the US Global Strike Command, which oversees America’s long-range strike capabilities. B-1 bombers deployed to the base have also been involved in US military operations against Iran.
CNN national security analyst Alex Plitsas said the base was likely hosting several dozen US bombers and described the decision to remove all of them as unusual.
He said the move indicated the authorities were taking the reported threat to the base seriously.
The withdrawal follows a series of arrests in Britain linked to an alleged plot targeting the airbase.
British police on September 27 arrested five men on suspicion of terrorism and explosives-related offences near RAF Fairford. The suspects, identified as British nationals aged between 23 and 25 from the London area, were later released on bail.
Police said no explosives were discovered in three vans stopped during the investigation.
The decision to release the suspects on bail drew criticism from US President Donald Trump, who said he would not have taken the same approach.
A 25-year-old British-Iranian dual national was subsequently arrested in connection with the investigation.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said there were “strong indications” that Iran had played a role in the alleged plot. Speaking to the BBC on September 30, Burnham said British authorities believed Iran had been involved but indicated that further details would be provided later.
The remarks appeared to align with comments from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who said investigators believed a foreign actor was involved in the alleged plot. Rubio did not identify the actor but pointed to previous threats against American interests around the world.
Iran has strongly rejected the allegations, calling them baseless.
Iranian state media reported that Tehran summoned the British ambassador following the accusations. During the meeting, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi reportedly urged Britain to reconsider what Tehran described as an inappropriate approach toward Iran.
The withdrawal of the US bombers adds a new security dimension to an already sensitive period in US-British relations with Iran, as authorities continue investigating the alleged plot and assessing potential threats to military facilities and American interests in the region.