The Pentagon has removed bombers based at the Royal Air Force base in the UK that was at the center of a suspected attempted terrorist attack last week.
The New York Times, citing two unnamed US officials, reported that the withdrawal had been carried out with unusual swiftness and urgency after new threats of a plot linked to Iran had emerged.
A Defense Department official said all American bombers deployed at RAF Fairford had now returned to their home bases in the US. American warplanes had used Fairford in the military campaign against Iran that began in late February.
This shift takes critical equipment out of the preferred forward operating base for bomber aircraft in Europe, but the Pentagon official said the personnel who operate the US bomber fleet, including B-1s, B-2s and B-52s, remain prepared to carry out precision global strikes anywhere.
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham in July approved the use of the base by the US for “defensive strikes” against Iran, continuing the policy of his predecessor, Keir Starmer.
The Wall Street Journal reported about the bombers’ redeployment earlier Sunday, citing a senior US official as saying that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had recruited Britons in the Fairford plot.
UK Defense Secretary Wes Streeting said Iran was likely responsible for the thwarted attempt to attack, after police said on Thursday they’d arrested a British-Iranian dual national.
The 27-year-old suspect was detained in London on suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts and brought the tally of people arrested in connection with the incident up to six. Another man, a British national, was questioned under caution and two properties in the area were searched.
“We’re exploring with our police and security services a range of leads and possibilities, but as our prime minister has stated it is likely that Iran was responsible,” Streeting said in an interview with Bloomberg in Iceland, while emphasizing that the UK had yet to formally attribute the attack.
Five men were arrested outside the base last Sunday. Police did not find any explosives but recovered a quantity of fuel from the scene. The five were later released on bail, a decision that drew criticism from President Donald Trump.
Asked about potential Iranian involvement in the Sept. 27 incident, Trump told reporters Thursday “it’s looking like that,” but that he could not say so “with confirmation.” He previously criticized the UK’s decision to bail the first five arrested suspects last week.
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