UK Police Arrest Five Men Suspected of Plotting Attack on US Air Base

British authorities arrested five men on Sunday on suspicion of attempting to breach the US air base RAF Fairford with the intent of sabotaging strategic bombers stationed there. The Associated Press reported the incident.

According to police, the suspects allegedly planned to infiltrate the military facility, which hosts American bombers involved in operations against Iran. Around 12:45 a.m. on Sunday, police received a report of three suspicious trucks heading toward the base. The vehicles were intercepted in the nearby Welford area.

Bomb disposal experts with a robotic device were called to the scene. Due to a high risk of detonation, police established a 400-meter security perimeter and evacuated residents from 85 nearby homes.

The men were initially detained for violations under the Explosives Act, but the charges were later reclassified as terrorism offenses. Vicky Evans, senior national coordinator for counter-terrorism policing at the Metropolitan Police, said the investigation is at an early stage and all five men remain in custody.

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US President Donald Trump praised the work of law enforcement, saying the suspects intended to cause significant harm and that cooperation with British authorities produced excellent results. British Prime Minister Andy Burnham urged the public to refrain from speculation until the official investigation concludes.

RAF Fairford is a key American military installation in Britain, used by the US under a bilateral agreement dating back to the Cold War. It hosts the headquarters of the 501st Combat Support Wing and the US Air Force's 420th Air Base Squadron, from which bombers currently conduct limited strikes on Iranian military targets.

Reuters had previously reported heightened security measures at the Fairford base in Gloucestershire. The Financial Times reported in August that Iran was considering possible strikes on US assets in Southeastern Europe as a way to raise the stakes amid further escalation. British intelligence services have repeatedly noted increased activity by proxy groups linked to Tehran, while NATO has stated it is prepared to defend all its allies against any threat.