The United States has withdrawn all its bombers from RAF Fairford in the UK, following a security incident at the military base that is being investigated by counter-terrorism police.
A Pentagon official confirmed on Sunday that the US had moved its bombers, believed to include about a dozen B-1 aircraft, from the Gloucestershire base back to their stations in the United States.
The Pentagon did not give a reason for the withdrawal. However, the move followed an incident on September 27, when police were alerted to three suspicious vehicles near the base.
Five men were initially arrested on suspicion of terrorism-related offences and later released on bail. A sixth man, a UK-Iranian national, was also arrested and subsequently released on bail.
British officials have not disputed reports that the US decision was linked to the incident. The BBC reported that the withdrawal was an operational military decision rather than a political one.
The development came amid reports that US commanders had received fresh intelligence about an alleged Iran-backed plot targeting RAF Fairford.
The New York Times, citing two US officials, reported that the latest information was linked to threat warnings received about three weeks earlier but became more specific in the 24 hours before the bombers were withdrawn.
Iran has denied involvement in the incident.
The base has served as a forward operating location for the US Air Force for decades and has recently been used to deploy B-1 and B-52 bombers for operations in the Middle East.
The US had received approval from the UK to use RAF Fairford for defensive operations against Iran.
Iran warned in July that any military base used for attacks against its territory would be considered a legitimate target.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio previously said the incident appeared to involve a foreign actor but did not provide further details.
US President Donald Trump also expressed surprise that the suspects had been released on bail, saying the US had information about them.
The Pentagon has maintained that its bomber fleet remains capable of carrying out missions “anywhere, anytime” despite the withdrawal from RAF Fairford.
