US Evacuates Bombers From UK Base Amid Iran Attack Plot Fears

The United States rapidly evacuated all of its B-1 bombers from the Royal Air Force Fairford base in Britain over the weekend following new intelligence about an Iranian plot to attack the facility, American officials stated Monday. This unusual and swift evacuation was deemed so urgent that some aircraft departed while still being refueled mid-air for their journey back to the U.S. At least three of the bombers have already landed at their home base in South Dakota, according to the officials. The Pentagon confirmed in a statement that all U.S. bombers deployed to Fairford have been repositioned to their home stations in the United States, adding that they remain ready to conduct strikes from American soil. The British Ministry of Defence declined to comment.

The U.S. had been using the military base, located northwest of London, as a hub for bomber operations targeting Iran, with 12 B-1 aircraft stationed there prior to the security incident. Six suspects were arrested in connection with planning the attack, according to both American and British sources. British Prime Minister Andy Burnham indicated there were "strong indications" of Iran's involvement, though the incident remained shrouded in mystery after British authorities released the suspects on bail while continuing their investigation.

According to a Wall Street Journal report, U.S. officials were aware of Iran's alleged plot to attack the stationed aircraft and harm the personnel. A branch of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps in Britain reportedly recruited British citizens to carry out the plot, which involved multiple stages, including a diversionary tactic in a nearby neighborhood, a senior U.S. source revealed.

U.S. President Donald Trump had previously stated that the suspected individuals intended to cause severe damage to the base and were under investigation. He criticized the British authorities' decision to release them, saying, "I would not have released them." Five of the men arrested last week had traveled to Fairford in three white vans, which British police stated contained fuel but not explosives. Their arrest followed a call from one of the group members to the police, alerting them to the plot. A sixth individual, holding dual British-Iranian citizenship, was arrested days later on suspicion of planning a terrorist act but was also released on bail.

Burnham told the BBC last week that the investigation is ongoing and complex, and that their assessment of Iran's involvement is being confirmed. Iran has denied any involvement, although Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps stated in July that the base was a legitimate target. The Iranian Embassy in London issued a statement denouncing the allegations as baseless and malicious, intended to fuel "Iranophobic propaganda" in Britain. In a Fox News interview last week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed Israel had provided intelligence about an impending Iranian attack in the UK, expressing bewilderment at subsequent British sanctions against Israel.