US Air Force Pulls Bombers From UK Base After Suspected Terror Plot

The US Air Force has withdrawn its bombers from a US-operated military base in England that has been used to launch strikes against Iran, following an investigation into a suspected terror plot targeting the facility.

The bombers have been redeployed to their home bases in the United States, a Pentagon official said Sunday. The official was not authorised to discuss sensitive military movements and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Aviation monitors, including the Military Air Tracking Alliance, had tracked dozens of B-52 and B-1 bombers operating from RAF Fairford since the early days of the Iran war. Observers reported seeing several B-1 bombers depart the base on Sunday.

The withdrawal comes as President Donald Trump considers his next options in the conflict with Iran, including potential new strikes, despite his earlier assurances that the military campaign would last only a few weeks.

“We have decisions that I’ll make about Iran. Iran’s been decimated. So the only question is — it’ll either be the easy way, or the hard way,” Trump told reporters Saturday before leaving the White House for a rally in Ohio.

Suspected Terror Plot At RAF Fairford

A dual British-Iranian national was arrested in central London last week on suspicion of plotting a terrorist attack following a security incident at RAF Fairford in late September.

Six people have so far been detained and subsequently released on bail as part of the investigation.

British authorities have linked the incident to Tehran, while Iran has denied any involvement.

RAF Fairford, located about 100 miles (160 kilometres) west of London, has been used by US bombers during multiple conflicts in the Middle East over several decades.

US Expands Military Presence In Middle East

Despite the bomber withdrawal from Britain, the US military continues to maintain a significant presence in the Middle East.

A US official said Thursday that the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier and the USS Makin Island amphibious readiness group are heading toward the region. The group of ships collectively carries more than 7,000 sailors and 2,000 Marines.

The deployment could bring the number of US aircraft carriers operating in the region to three as early as the end of October, according to the official.