New Delhi: The president of the United States, Donald Trump, has confirmed that security threats prompted the withdrawal of American bombers from RAF Fairford in Britain, following reports of a suspected Iranian drone attack plot against the base. About a dozen B-1B Lancers have returned to the US, although the intelligence behind the decision remains largely undisclosed and Iran denies involvement.
Speaking to reporters before departing Washington for Nebraska on Monday, Trump made clear that the aircraft’s departure was a response to perceived danger. “They didn’t fly out by accident,” he said, adding: “We actually know the people who made the threat.”
In remarks, Trump argued that relocating the bombers was preferable to leaving them exposed while the United States confronted those responsible. He did not explain the nature of the threat, identify the alleged perpetrators or disclose how far preparations for an attack might have progressed.
In a separate exchange reported by Reuters, Trump indicated that those behind the threat were linked to Iran. His comments provided a more explicit public explanation for the withdrawal, but no supporting intelligence was released.
As RNA Media reported earlier, the Pentagon confirmed that all bombers deployed to Fairford had returned to their American home stations after departing on Sunday. The move ended the current bomber deployment at the Gloucestershire installation, without an announcement that US operations there were being closed or a timetable for the aircraft’s return.
Reports citing western officials suggest the decision followed fresh intelligence about a possible operation targeting aircraft and American personnel, including pilots. Some bombers reportedly left while aerial refuelling aircraft were still being mobilized, indicating the urgency with which commanders acted.
The reports, mostly from American media, citing US and European officials briefed on the matter, attributed the alleged plan to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Its account described a potentially complex attack intended to destroy aircraft and kill personnel, although the evidence supporting that assessment has not been made public. www.wsj.com
Other reporting described a possible drone assault accompanied by a diversion near the airfield, potentially involving people recruited inside Britain. Officials reportedly drew comparisons with Ukraine’s Operation Spiderweb in 2025, when drones transported into Russia were launched against military aircraft on the ground, illustrating the threat posed by attacks originating close to a target.
The vice-president, JD Vance, said the aircraft had been relocated as a precaution to protect American personnel and expressed concern about Iranian activity. However, the secretary of state, Marco Rubio, declined to connect the redeployment directly to the recent suspected plot near Fairford, emphasizing that military assets routinely move between locations.
Those explanations leave unresolved whether the withdrawal resulted from the incident that triggered arrests outside the base, additional intelligence about another threat, or overlapping security concerns. Downing Street has maintained that Fairford remains safe, while the Pentagon says American bomber crews retain their ability to conduct long-range precision missions from the United States.
As RNA Media had reported, the investigation began at about 12.45am on September 27, after police received information about three suspicious vehicles near the airfield. Armed officers arrested five men in the nearby Whelford area, and approximately 85 households were evacuated while military bomb disposal specialists examined the vehicles.
In an official investigation update, the UK’s counterterrorism police said no improvised explosive devices were found, although a quantity of petrol was recovered. The men were arrested on suspicion of explosives offences and preparation of terrorist acts, then released on September 28 under strict bail conditions governing their movements and contact with others.
A sixth suspect, a 25-year-old dual British-Iranian national, was arrested in Westminster, London, on October 1 on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts. Police announced his release on bail on October 3, confirming that searches of two properties had concluded and the inquiry was continuing.
Investigators are examining whether individuals were knowingly or unknowingly acting on behalf of a foreign state, while keeping other explanations open. The head of national counterterrorism policing, assistant commissioner Laurence Taylor, stressed that releasing the original five suspects was an investigative decision and did not mean the investigation had ended.
Iran has rejected accusations of involvement, with its foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, pointing to the suspects’ release as grounds for challenging the allegations. Tehran also summoned the British ambassador over the affair, while British investigators have yet to publicly establish Iranian responsibility.
Fairford is an important European operating location for US heavy bombers and has supported previous American campaigns in the Middle East. During the current conflict, Britain authorized its use for defensive strikes against Iranian missile sites threatening ships in the Strait of Hormuz, while withholding permission for broader offensive operations against Iran.
The Revolutionary Guards warned in July that bases used to launch attacks on Iranian territory would be regarded as legitimate military targets. That warning forms part of the background to Washington’s precautions, but the publicly available evidence does not establish that a drone attack on Fairford was imminent.