The United States has withdrawn all its B-1 bombers from Royal Air Force Fairford in Britain, the Pentagon confirmed on Sunday, a week after British police arrested several men near the base on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts.
A dozen B-1 bombers had been stationed at Fairford, northwest of London, where they were used for US strikes on Iran. A Pentagon spokesman said the aircraft have now been flown back to their home stations in the United States.
Pentagon confirms the move
"While operational security precluded us from confirming the movement of our assets and forces in real-time, we can acknowledge now that all US bombers that were deployed to RAF Fairford have re-deployed to their home stations in the United States," the spokesman wrote in an email.
The Wall Street Journal first reported that the aircraft had been pulled out of the base amid security concerns about suspected plots against the facility.
The foiled plot and Iran link
Five London-based men in their mid-20s were arrested near the base on September 27 and later released on bail after investigators found petrol, but no explosives, in their vehicles. A sixth person, a dual British-Iranian national, was arrested on October 1 on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts and was also released on bail. The incident led to the evacuation of 85 homes near the airfield.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said Britain has "strong indications" that Iran was involved in a suspected plot targeting the base — a claim Tehran has rejected as baseless, summoning the British ambassador in Tehran over the matter.
US President Donald Trump said those involved in the plot had planned "big damage," while Secretary of State Marco Rubio pointed to the "hands of a foreign actor." Iran's embassy in London said it "categorically rejects and strongly condemns" any suggestion of Iranian involvement.
The British government had allowed the US to use bombers based at Fairford to strike Iranian missile sites that were attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
Sources:
Reuters: US removes B-1 bombers from UK base amid security concerns
A dozen B-1 bombers had been stationed at Fairford, northwest of London, where they were used for US strikes on Iran. A Pentagon spokesman said the aircraft have now been flown back to their home stations in the United States.
Pentagon confirms the move
"While operational security precluded us from confirming the movement of our assets and forces in real-time, we can acknowledge now that all US bombers that were deployed to RAF Fairford have re-deployed to their home stations in the United States," the spokesman wrote in an email.
The Wall Street Journal first reported that the aircraft had been pulled out of the base amid security concerns about suspected plots against the facility.
The foiled plot and Iran link
Five London-based men in their mid-20s were arrested near the base on September 27 and later released on bail after investigators found petrol, but no explosives, in their vehicles. A sixth person, a dual British-Iranian national, was arrested on October 1 on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts and was also released on bail. The incident led to the evacuation of 85 homes near the airfield.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said Britain has "strong indications" that Iran was involved in a suspected plot targeting the base — a claim Tehran has rejected as baseless, summoning the British ambassador in Tehran over the matter.
US President Donald Trump said those involved in the plot had planned "big damage," while Secretary of State Marco Rubio pointed to the "hands of a foreign actor." Iran's embassy in London said it "categorically rejects and strongly condemns" any suggestion of Iranian involvement.
The British government had allowed the US to use bombers based at Fairford to strike Iranian missile sites that were attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
Sources:
Reuters: US removes B-1 bombers from UK base amid security concerns
