US President Donald Trump said American B-1 bombers were withdrawn from a British airbase after Washington received information about a threat he said was linked to Iran.
The bombers had been deployed to RAF Fairford, a key US airbase in Britain used for recent strikes on Iran. Their removal followed the arrest of five British men near the base on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts.
“We had an idea that there might be a threat, and why would I leave them there?” Trump told reporters on Monday, saying Washington knew who had made the threat.
Asked whether those behind it were connected to Iran, Trump replied: “They would be linked to Iran.”
Vice President JD Vance said the aircraft were moved as a precaution, accusing Tehran of continuing what he described as a decades-long pattern of terrorism against the United States and other countries.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, however, stopped short of directly linking the suspected plot to the bomber redeployment, saying the Pentagon routinely shifts military assets according to operational needs.
A NATO military source said Iran was still considered an “acute threat” to US assets in Britain.
Iran has rejected accusations that it was behind any plot. Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi called the allegations baseless and said British authorities were “barking up the wrong tree.”
Key base for US operations
RAF Fairford, about 145 kilometres west of London, is one of the most important European bases available to US heavy bombers and is capable of hosting aircraft such as the B-1.
The base has played a major role in previous US military campaigns in the Middle East.
During the current conflict with Iran, Britain had permitted the US to use Fairford for strikes against Iranian missile sites attacking shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, but had not authorised the base for broader offensive strikes.
That restriction has contributed to strains between Washington and London.
A Pentagon official confirmed that all US bombers deployed to Fairford had returned to their home bases in the United States. The Pentagon said its bomber force remained capable of conducting precision strikes “anywhere, anytime.”
The New York Times reported that the aircraft were moved rapidly after commanders received new intelligence about a possible Iran-backed plot.
Defence analysts said the redeployment could temporarily reduce Washington’s ability to rapidly launch further strikes against Iran from Britain, although the aircraft could potentially be repositioned to Diego Garcia or bases in the Gulf.
Suspects released on bail
Five British men in their 20s were arrested on September 27 after police saw them running into fields from three white vans parked near RAF Fairford.
Police said no explosives were found, although a quantity of petrol was discovered.
All five were later released on bail.
A sixth man, described as a dual British-Iranian national, was arrested four days later on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts and was also subsequently released on bail.
Trump previously said the suspected plot was intended to cause “big damage” and criticised the decision to release the suspects.
Despite the bomber withdrawal, a senior NATO military official said the move would not affect the alliance’s broader defensive posture, saying NATO’s ability to respond to aggression remained unchanged.
