The Pentagon says all US bombers deployed at RAF Fairford have returned to bases in America as Britain investigates a suspected security threat near the airbase.
LONDON – Web Desk: The United States has withdrawn all B-1 bomber aircraft deployed at RAF Fairford in Britain and returned them to their home stations in the United States, the Pentagon has confirmed.
The move comes amid heightened security concerns surrounding the British airbase, which was used by the US during military operations against Iran. However, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the redeployment should not be directly linked to a recent suspected security incident near the base.
A Pentagon official said all US bombers deployed to RAF Fairford had been redeployed to their home stations, adding that operational security prevented Washington from confirming the movement of its aircraft in real time.
Security incident near RAF Fairford
British police were called to the area on September 27 after a local farmer reported suspicious activity involving several men and vans near the base.
The incident triggered a counter-terrorism investigation and led to the evacuation of residents from 85 homes near the airbase. Police later said they had not found explosives in the vehicles, although a quantity of petrol was recovered.
Six London-based men, including a British-Iranian dual national, were subsequently arrested in connection with the investigation and released on bail, according to reports.
US says move was not directly linked to arrests
Despite speculation that the bomber withdrawal was prompted by the security incident, Rubio said there was no direct connection.
Reuters reported that Rubio described the redeployment as part of the US military’s broader allocation of resources and said he would not directly tie the aircraft movement to the incident near Fairford.
The British government has also maintained that RAF Fairford remains safe.
A spokesman for UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the government had established and tested procedures for protecting British military facilities.
Iran link remains disputed
The security investigation has also raised questions about possible Iranian involvement.
Burnham has said there were “strong indications” that Iran played a role in the incident, while Tehran has rejected the allegation. Iran’s embassy in London has also denied speculation linking the country to the incident.
US officials have indicated that investigators were examining the possibility of foreign-state involvement, but no definitive public evidence establishing Iranian responsibility has been announced.
RAF Fairford’s role in US operations
RAF Fairford has played an important role in US military operations in Europe and was used during the recent conflict involving Iran.
Britain gave Washington permission in March to use the base for specific defensive operations into Iran. US bombers and other aircraft have subsequently been observed operating from the facility.
The withdrawal of the B-1 aircraft therefore represents a notable change in the US military posture at the base, although Washington has not indicated that it represents a permanent end to bomber deployments there.
