US Withdraws All B-1 Bombers from UK After Suspected Iran-Backed Plot

The U.S. rushed all 12 B-1 bombers out of RAF Fairford over the weekend after new intelligence heightened fears of an Iran-backed attack on the British base.

Commanders ordered the departure with such urgency that some aircraft took off before aerial refueling planes had been assembled to support their journey home, according to The New York Times.

At least three bombers had reached their South Dakota base by Sunday.

Fresh Warnings Accelerate Departure

The withdrawal followed a sharp escalation in warnings about a suspected plot first flagged to American commanders in September.

One U.S. official told the NYT that more specific information had emerged over the preceding 24 hours, alarming commanders.

Some bombers had arrived only days earlier during a routine rotation. The speed of their departure was unusual for aircraft operating from an allied installation far from the fighting.

The Pentagon confirmed the withdrawal but did not address the new threat information. It said the bombers remained available for missions from the U.S.

Britain’s Ministry of Defense declined to discuss the movement of American military aircraft.

Suspected Plot Remains Under Investigation

The departure came a week after police arrested five men traveling near Fairford in three white vans. Officers found fuel but no explosives, and the suspects were released on bail.

A sixth suspect, a dual British-Iranian national, was subsequently arrested on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts and also released on bail. The investigation remains open.

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said there were “strong indications” of Iranian involvement. Iran has denied responsibility for the alleged plot.

According to a senior U.S. official, an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps branch recruited British nationals for an operation intended to attack the bombers and kill personnel.

The alleged plan included a diversion in a nearby neighborhood.

Some British officials have questioned how sophisticated the planned attack was.

Authorities are still reconstructing events that prompted the evacuation of 85 homes and a bomb disposal operation.

A Hub for Strikes on Iran

Fairford served as a major staging point for American bomber missions against Iran, reducing flight distances compared with operations launched from the continental U.S.

At the deployment’s peak, roughly two dozen B-1s and B-52s operated from the base. The B-52s and some B-1s had already departed, leaving the 12 aircraft withdrawn over the weekend.

In July, the Revolutionary Guards warned that bases used to attack Iranian territory would be a “legitimate target for our forces.”

The suspected plot has renewed British defense officials’ calls for stronger protection at military installations, particularly against drones.

Security alerts have also been raised at RAF Lakenheath, where the U.S. operates F-35 and F-15E fighters.