The United States has withdrawn all of its deployed bombers from RAF Fairford in Britain and returned them to their home stations following security concerns surrounding the base, which is being investigated after several arrests on suspicion of terrorism offences.
The withdrawal came after an incident involving suspicious vehicles near the Gloucestershire facility and amid British claims of possible Iranian involvement, which Tehran has strongly denied.
A dozen B-1 bombers had been stationed at RAF Fairford, a forward operating location for the US Air Force and US Global Strike Command.
The aircraft had been used for US strikes on Iran, including operations against Iranian missile sites following attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
A Pentagon spokesman confirmed that all US bombers deployed to Fairford had returned to their home stations but did not publicly specify the reason for the move.
A person familiar with the situation described the latest threat as a “real world incident.”
The BBC reported that the withdrawal was a military rather than political decision made at an operational level and communicated to British counterparts.
The investigation followed a September 27 incident in which police were alerted to three suspicious vehicles near RAF Fairford.
Five British men aged between 23 and 25 were initially arrested on suspicion of explosives offences and later on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act.
All five were subsequently released on police bail.
A sixth man, a 25-year-old UK-Iranian national, was later arrested in London on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts and was also released on bail.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said there were “strong indications” that Iran had played a role, without providing further details.
Iran rejected accusations connecting Tehran to the suspected plot as baseless and summoned the British ambassador over the allegations.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio separately said the incident involved the “hands of a foreign actor,” while President Donald Trump said those involved had planned “big damage.”
The US withdrawal leaves RAF Fairford without the American bombers that had recently operated from the base during strikes involving Iran.