Iran Planned Drone Attack on US Bombers in UK, Report Says
Translated & summarized from N12 by baba
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Iran allegedly planned a complex drone attack on US bombers in the UK.
- The US evacuated 12 B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford due to the threat.
- President Trump confirmed a specific Iran-related threat prompted the move.
- The plot may have been inspired by Ukraine's drone attacks on Russian bases.
- Recent arrests near the base are believed to be linked to the Iranian plot.
The United States evacuated 12 B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford in the UK due to intelligence indicating a complex Iranian plot to attack the aircraft and kill American personnel, according to a New York Times report. President Donald Trump had previously alluded to a "specific threat" related to Iran prompting the bombers' removal, stating they "didn't just fly out of there for no reason."
US and British officials told the Times that the plan, allegedly orchestrated by Iran's Revolutionary Guards, involved a multi-pronged drone assault. The urgency of the new intelligence led to the unusual decision to rapidly return all bombers to the United States, a move described as highly irregular for a non-combat zone ally thousands of miles from conflict areas.
Some officials speculated the Iranian plan drew inspiration from Ukraine's "Operation Spider Web" in June 2025, where drones infiltrated Russian airspace and struck military bases. The concern was that Iran might employ a similar tactic, using drones to target the bombers on the ground at Fairford.
Fairford has been a significant base for the US Air Force and was previously mentioned by Tehran as a potential target if used for attacks against Iran. In July, the Revolutionary Guards warned that using the base for strikes against Iran would make Britain complicit.
Vice President J.D. Vance confirmed the bombers were moved out of "an abundance of caution" to protect US forces, accusing Iran of continued plotting against the US without detailing the specific intelligence.
The evacuation followed a series of unusual incidents near the base, including the arrest of five men near the base on September 27th, which led to a security lockdown and the disposal of a robot. A British-Iranian dual national was later arrested in London on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts related to the base incidents. US and British officials, along with German and Israeli sources, believe these activities are linked to Iran's military command.
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