The United States has pulled all of its long-range bombers out of RAF Fairford, a key air base in southern England, over fears of an Iranian drone attack. According to The Japan Times, all 12 B-1 bombers were withdrawn over the weekend, based on new information about a possible drone attack ordered by Iran's Revolutionary Guard (IRGC). The base is about 100 miles west of London.

What Officials Say Happened

US and British officials, speaking anonymously, described the suspected attack as part of a complex, multipronged Iranian plot. It aimed to strike aircraft and kill some of the several hundred American personnel at the base. The New York Times first reported the threat on Sunday, and Axios and the Wall Street Journal followed. The Pentagon declined to comment on the alleged plot but confirmed that all bombers deployed to Fairford have returned to the US.

The UK Arrests

  • British police arrested men travelling in white vans near the base on September 27. Outlets differ on the number, with reports of five or six, all British nationals.
  • The Wall Street Journal says they were held on suspected explosives and terrorism offenses and later released on bail. British authorities have linked the incident to Iran.
  • A dual British-Iranian national was separately arrested in central London on suspicion of plotting a terrorist attack.

Reactions

  • JD Vance: the Vice President said the Air Force acted "out of an abundance of caution" to protect forces. He said Iran is trying acts of terror against the US and others.
  • Donald Trump: he said Monday that people linked to Iran posed a threat to the bombers.
  • Marco Rubio: the Secretary of State downplayed any link between the departure and the police investigation.
  • Iran: Tehran denies involvement. It has previously said any base used to launch attacks on Iranian territory is a legitimate target.

Why Fairford Matters

The US sent extra long-range bombers to the UK in March to give it more flexibility in the war against Iran. Britain had initially refused US use of Fairford and Diego Garcia, citing international law, then granted permission on March 1. Days later, a suspected Iranian Shahed drone struck RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus. Iran fired missiles toward the US-UK base on Diego Garcia on March 20.

What We Know and What We Don't

  • Confirmed: all 12 B-1 bombers have left Fairford and returned to the US.
  • Not an actual attack: no drone strike has been reported at Fairford. The withdrawal followed intelligence about a potential attack.
  • Unconfirmed: the exact plot, who was involved, and whether the arrests are connected.