The US Air Force has withdrawn all B-1 bombers from Britain's RAF Fairford air base, redeploying the aircraft to their home stations in the United States. The Pentagon confirmed the abrupt removal following an investigation into a suspected terror plot targeting the facility.
The security incident prompted nearby evacuations, although police found no explosives after reports of suspicious activity. Several terrorism-related arrests were made outside the base, and five London-based British men were arrested and subsequently released on bail. A dual British-Iranian national was also arrested in central London.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham stated that Britain has strong indications that Iran was involved in the suspected plot, though Tehran has denied the claims. RAF Fairford, located 100 miles west of London, has been used by American bombers during decades of conflicts in the Middle East and for strikes on Iran.