Sirens sound at main US air base in Britain over suspected drone activity
Sirens and an alert went off at the US air base RAF Lakenheath in Britain on the evening of 13 November over suspected unauthorised drone activity. No one was hurt, and the incident follows the US moving aircraft out of another British base over a threat linked to Iran.
A siren and an alert were triggered on the evening of 13 November at RAF Lakenheath, the main US air force base in Britain, because of suspected activity by unmanned aerial vehicles. No casualties were reported. The incident comes as American forces are already responding to security threats connected to Iran.
A spokesperson for the US Air Force said security forces personnel responded that evening to suspected unauthorised drone activity over the base. According to the statement, no personnel, aircraft or infrastructure were harmed.
The British Ministry of Defence confirmed that US service members reacted to a warning about unauthorised drone activity. The alert message sent to personnel urged them to find the nearest shelter and stay there.
Background
The alert came a few days after the United States withdrew its aircraft from another British base, citing a threat from Iran. This week American forces evacuated aircraft from a second air base in Britain. In October, the US had already moved long-range bombers out of yet another base. That happened a few days after the British government detained several people over an alleged Iranian plot targeting that air base.
The source does not say who was behind the drones or whether they were identified.
