US urgently withdraws bombers from UK base

The United States Air Force has abruptly withdrawn all its bombers from an air base in the United Kingdom, with officials citing concerns about a potential attack.

A Pentagon spokesperson confirmed to US media on Sunday that the strategic bomber fleet — including B-1s, B-2s, and B-52s — had been removed from the Royal Air Force base at Fairford, in western England.

"While operational security precluded us from confirming the movement of our assets and forces in real-time, we can acknowledge now that all US bombers that were deployed to RAF Fairford have redeployed to their home stations in the United States," the spokesperson said.

"The airmen that operate America's bomber force, including B-1s, B-2s, and B-52s, remain ready to deliver precision global strike capabilities — including through operations that launch and recover from the continental United States — anywhere, anytime."

In March, the UK authorized Washington to use Fairford for "specific defensive operations into Iran", with US bombers and other aircraft subsequently observed operating from the base. The base remains the only mainland UK airfield designated for such operations.

A spokesperson for the UK prime minister told reporters on Monday that the RAF base remains safe, but regarding the withdrawal of the bombers, they said they "wouldn't comment on other countries' military decisions".

When asked if UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has spoken to the US president about his decision, the spokesperson declined to comment, telling journalists they would set out any calls "in the usual way".

Prior to the sudden departure of the bombers, roughly a dozen of the aircraft had been stationed at RAF Fairford. Reports had first surfaced earlier on Sunday of an urgent redeployment, as B-1 bombers departed from the base headed for the US.

Three of the US planes landed in South Dakota on Sunday, US officials told The New York Times newspaper.

On Sept 27, police were called to the base after a local farmer reported men with several vans engaged in "suspicious" activity.

Following the scare, counter-terrorism investigators launched a probe and evacuated 85 homes near the base, which the US had used to launch strikes on Iran.

No explosives were found in the vans, though "a quantity of petrol was recovered", counter-terrorism police said. Burnham said there were "strong indications that Iran played a part" in the incident, a charge that officials in Tehran rejected.

One unidentified US official told media outlet CNN on Sunday that the bombers were moved after "an unspecified new threat", describing it as a "real world incident". Returning the bombers to home stations rather than another regional base was unusual, the official reportedly added.

According to two US officials who spoke with the New York Times, commanders urgently moved the bombers after receiving new threats about an Iran-backed plot against the base in the 24 hours prior to the withdrawal.

Authorities arrested six London-based men in their mid-20s in connection with the September incident, including five UK nationals and a UK-Iranian dual national. Their release on bail drew criticism from Washington.

Speaking to reporters, US President Donald Trump said "I wouldn't have done that", while US Secretary of State Marco Rubio alleged a "foreign actor" was involved.

In response, Iran's London embassy stated it "categorically rejects and strongly condemns" speculation of Tehran's involvement.

jonathan@mail.chinadailyuk.com