Iranupdated 1h ago2 min read
U.S. Air Force Removes B-1 Bombers From RAF Fairford After Iran-Linked Threat
The United States withdrew all B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford to U.S. bases. The move was prompted by reports of a threat linked to Iran.
12 outlets told this the same way.
Outlets did split on U.S. Expels Two Iranian UN Delegation Members From New York After Order To Leave →
Bombers pulled from Fairford
The United States Air Force removed its B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford in England and redeployed them to home stations in the United States after a threat linked to Iran, according to a Pentagon confirmation and U.S. officials. President Donald Trump said the bombers did not “fly out by accident” and that “There were some threats,” adding that Washington moved the aircraft “not very far.” The BBC reported that the Pentagon removed “about a dozen B-1s” from the base back to America, while NBC News said the Air Force rushed to return home bombers stationed at RAF Fairford.
The Reuters account tied the move to an incident investigated by counter-terror police, after police arrested five British men near the base and later arrested a dual UK-Iranian national, with all released on bail. The NBC News account said a Defense Department official told the outlet that “all U.S. bombers that were deployed to RAF Fairford have re-deployed to their home stations in the United States.”
Threat, denials, and debate
Trump told reporters that “They would be linked to Iran,” while Vice President JD Vance said the United States moved the bombers “out of an abundance of caution.” Marco Rubio told reporters that it was “not unusual” to see rotations and redeployments of military assets, and he said he would not directly tie the redeployment to the suspected Iranian plot. Iran denied involvement, and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on X, “You’re barking up the wrong tree.”
The Guardian reported that Downing Street insisted RAF Fairford was secure, with a spokesperson saying “yes” when asked if the military site was safe. Reuters said a NATO military source believed “Iran poses an acute threat to US assets in the UK,” while Reuters also reported that British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said any plot was likely backed by Iran.
What changes next
The Reuters account said the redeployment would reduce America’s capacity “to quickly surge sorties against Iran, reducing the threat level somewhat,” while Christoph Bergs said Fairford use was already limited by London’s stipulation on defensive strikes. The Reuters account said the aircraft could potentially be sent to Diego Garcia or bases in the Gulf, depending on capacity availability, negotiations with allies, and security. The Washington Post described the bomber movement as abrupt and said police arrested five men in white vans outside RAF Fairford, finding gasoline, not explosives, with all released on bail.
The BBC said Labour and security officials had linked the incident to Tehran, while Iran had denied involvement and said it considers any base used to attack its territory a legitimate target. The ABC7 San Francisco account said President Donald Trump was weighing options for his war on Iran, including new strikes, and Trump told reporters, “It’ll either be the easy way, or the hard way.”