U.S. Makes Major Change At Base Targeted In Iranian Terror Plot

The U.S. military abruptly pulled all of its B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford in Britain over the weekend after commanders received new warnings about an Iran-backed terror plot targeting the base, according to The New York Times. 

The withdrawal came a week after British authorities arrested five men near the base in connection with a suspected terror plot. The Times cited two U.S. officials familiar with the matter who said the new warnings prompted the withdrawal. 

The move was highly unusual, with the need to remove the 12 bombers considered so urgent that some aircraft and their crews left while aerial refueling aircraft were still being scrambled to support their flights back to the United States, according to the Times. At least three of the bombers had landed at their home base in South Dakota by Sunday.

The Pentagon’s European Command confirmed Sunday that the bombers had left England, but declined to comment on the new threat warnings.

“We can acknowledge now that all U.S. bombers that were deployed to R.A.F. Fairford are redeploying to their home stations in the United States,” the command said. “U.S. Air Force bombers routinely operate around the world to support global force readiness and operational requirements.”

U.S. officials did not publicly detail the new intelligence. One official told the Times that the information was connected to the threat warnings that surfaced about three weeks earlier, but that more specific details emerged and the urgency increased sharply during the 24 hours before the bombers were moved.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday cautioned against directly linking the withdrawal to last week’s incident, saying the military routinely moves aircraft and crews. 

“The Department of War is constantly reallocating resources where they need to be,” Rubio told reporters. “There’s regular rotations that happen as well.”

“I wouldn’t directly tie that to the move that was made,” Rubio said. “The only reason why you guys are focused on how many planes are at Fairford is because of the threat that happened last week.”

Rubio said the United States remained confident in security at its bases and praised British authorities’ cooperation in the investigation. 

“And with the Brits, we’ve worked very closely for a very long time, including on this investigation, and they couldn’t be more cooperative,” he said.

The withdrawal comes as British authorities continue investigating the suspected Iran-linked plot, which has led to six arrests. 

British authorities initially arrested five men in their 20s after a local farmer reported three suspicious vehicles near the base. The men were initially arrested on suspicion of offenses under the Explosives Act and later on suspicion of preparing to carry out a terrorist act under Section 5 of the Terrorism Act. Police did not find explosives in the vehicles.

All five were released on police bail following extensive interviews and inquiries, although they remain under investigation and are subject to strict conditions on their movements and contact with others.

A sixth man, a 25-year-old dual British-Iranian national, was arrested in London last week on suspicion of preparing to carry out a terrorist act. He was also subsequently released on bail.

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said that there were “strong indications” Iran played a role in the incident.

“There are strong indications that Iran played a part in what happened over the weekend at RAF Fairford,” Burnham said, while stressing that the case remains an “ongoing, complex, and serious police investigation.”

Iran has denied involvement. Iran’s embassy in London said it “categorically rejects and strongly condemns” speculation that Tehran was connected to the incident.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said in July that RAF Fairford was a legitimate target, according to Reuters.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said last week that Israel had warned Britain of an Iranian-sponsored attack, though, according to the Times, Israeli intelligence did not identify a specific target. 

“We gave the Brits the intel that there was going to be an attack, and it’s an Iranian-sponsored attack,” Netanyahu told Fox News’ Sean Hannity last week.

RAF Fairford is a key military installation used by U.S. forces and American long-range bombers. The base has served as a forward operating location for U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command. It has been used during American military operations in the Middle East, including recent operations targeting Iran.