The Pentagon confirmed that all US bombers deployed to RAF Fairford had returned to their home stations in the United States.
US President Donald Trump said Monday that Washington had withdrawn all B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford in Britain after receiving warnings of “some threats”, without giving details about their nature.
“There were some threats, and rather than tempting the enemy — we’ll capture the enemy and beat the enemy, but why should we leave them there? So we moved them around a little bit,” Trump told reporters at the White House, adding that the bombers had been moved “not very far”.
The Pentagon confirmed that all US bombers deployed to RAF Fairford had returned to their home stations in the United States. The move came after a security scare near the base and amid reports of a fresh threat linked to Iran.
Security scare triggers bomber withdrawal
RAF Fairford was placed under heightened security after British police arrested five men near the base on September 27. The arrests followed a report from a local farmer who saw several vans and men acting suspiciously.
Counter-terrorism officers found no explosives in the vehicles but recovered petrol. The suspects were later released on bail as the investigation continued. A sixth man, a British-Iranian dual national, was also arrested and released on bail.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said there were “strong indications” of Iranian involvement, while Tehran has denied any role.
US Vice President JD Vance said the decision to move the bombers was taken out of an “abundance of caution”. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, however, said there was no confirmed direct link between the withdrawal and the suspected plot.