Five Arrested Near RAF Fairford on Suspicion of Terror Plot Involving Trucks

Five men were arrested in the early hours of Sunday near RAF Fairford, a British-owned air base operated by the United States, on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act that appeared to involve three trucks, UK police said.

London's Metropolitan Police, which leads on potential terrorist investigations, said it received a call at 12:45 a.m. about three suspicious vehicles that seemed to be travelling toward the base. The five men were taken into custody near the site.

Fairford is a UK-owned facility operated by the US under an arrangement that dates back to the Cold War. It has been used by American bombers for strictly limited strikes against Iranian missile sites, under an agreement with former British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who voiced opposition to the war after it was launched by the US and Israel on Feb. 28.

The arrests come amid heightened concern in the UK over threats from hostile states. Russia and Iran are among the countries that have used proxies to carry out crimes on British soil. In March, officials said the number of national security cases involving activity by hostile states, including Iran, rose 50% in the six months to December 2025.

Authorities are examining a possible link between the Fairford arrests and Iran as one line of inquiry. Iran has previously signalled that a base used to attack its territory is a legitimate target.