UK Police Probe Iran Link After Five Arrested Near US Air Base
Five men are being held after vans were spotted near RAF Fairford, a US-operated base, as police investigate a possible Iran-linked plot.
British counterterrorism detectives are investigating whether the arrests of five men near a United States-operated air base in England foiled an attempted attack with a possible link to Iran.
The men were detained in the early hours of Sunday after three vans were seen close to RAF Fairford, a UK-owned facility used by the US Air Force and long associated with American bomber operations in the Middle East. None of the five has been named.
They were initially held on suspicion of explosives offences and were later also arrested on suspicion of preparing an act of terrorism. Under British rules, police may hold them for up to 14 days before they must be charged or released.
President Donald Trump said the suspects had been detained after cooperation between the United States and Britain and had been under observation for some time. Police, however, said the arrests followed a late-night call about suspicious vehicles near the base.
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting declined to discuss operational details but welcomed Trump's recognition of the work done by British police and intelligence services. He said the public would be updated about the individuals and the nature of the threat when possible.
Investigators have not concluded whether the incident was a state-backed attack, but they are examining a possible Iran connection.
The arrests come amid heightened concern in Britain over threats from hostile states. British intelligence services have said Russia and Iran have both used proxies to carry out crimes on UK soil, and officials said in March that national security cases involving hostile-state activity, including Iran, rose by 50 per cent in the six months to December 2025.
Britain did not join the US-Israeli war on Iran that began on February 28 and initially refused Trump's request to use UK bases to strike Iran. Then prime minister Keir Starmer later agreed in March to allow the US to use British bases for what he described as defensive operations against Iranian missiles and their launch sites, after Iranian attacks on UK interests and Britain's Gulf allies.
American B-1 and B-52 bombers have flown from Fairford, about 100 miles (160 kilometres) west of London, for operations during the Iran conflict. Iran has said it regards any base used to attack its territory as a legitimate target.
British security officials say proxies linked to Iran have been behind a series of arson and sabotage attempts in the UK and elsewhere, many targeting the Jewish community. They have warned that Tehran could widen its targets in Britain if Middle East conflicts continue.
Residents of 85 homes in the village of Whelford, near the base, were evacuated on Sunday as army bomb-disposal experts used a robot to inspect the three white vans. Villagers were still unable to return home as of Monday morning and the vehicles had not been moved.
The US Air Force said personnel at RAF Fairford remain vigilant but declined to discuss specific force protection measures for operational security reasons. The US embassy in London has urged Americans in Britain to be cautious about their personal security.
Trump said authorities had the suspects under observation for a long time and described the operation as an amazing job, adding that the men had been looking to cause significant damage to the facility.