US removes all bombers from RAF Fairford back to home stations
The US military has withdrawn its B-1 bomber fleet from RAF Fairford in the UK following reports of a potential Iran-backed security threat. The decision follows a recent incident involving suspicious vehicles near the base, which is currently under investigation by counter-terror police.
Why it matters
The sudden redeployment highlights heightened geopolitical tensions and the vulnerability of international military installations to potential state-sponsored sabotage.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, A Rockwell B1 Lancer heavy bomber takes off to depart for home at RAF Fairford on Sunday
The US has withdrawn all of its bombers from RAF Fairford, the UK military base at the centre of an incident being investigated by counter-terror police.
A statement from a Pentagon official confirmed on Sunday it had removed its bombers - thought to be about a dozen B-1s - from the base back to their home stations in America.
US media reported a new threat led to the bombers being removed, which follows a major incident on 27 September when police were alerted to three "suspicious vehicles" near the airbase.
Five men were initially arrested on suspicion of terror offences and subsequently released on bail. A sixth man, a UK-Iranian national, was also later arrested and released on bail.
Also covering this story
8 other newsrooms covered this event. We read each version separately.
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