The US Air Force withdrew all of its bombers from RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire on Sunday and returned them to home stations in the United States, confirmed by a US department official and by a Pentagon official who spoke on condition of anonymity. [E1][E2][E7][E8][E13]
At least 10 of 12 B-1 bombers flew out of Fairford, including some that had arrived on rotation less than a week earlier. [E9][E14] Fairford is the only European forward operating location for American heavy bombers. [E15] The Pentagon said the bomber fleet remains fully prepared to launch long-range strike missions directly from the continental United States whenever needed. [E16]
Washington did not give a reason for the withdrawal. [E3] The withdrawal was described as a military rather than a political decision, taken at an operational level and communicated from the US military to its British counterparts. [E5] Whitehall sources have not disputed that Washington's decision was in response to the incident at RAF Fairford. [E4] Britain's Ministry of Defence has not commented. [E6][E10]
British officials said three suspicious vehicles containing fuel accelerants were found near the base on 27 September. [E3][E17] RAF Fairford sits at the centre of an incident being investigated by counter-terror police after an alleged planned terror attack. [E1][E7] A dual British-Iranian national was arrested in central London last week on suspicion of plotting a terror attack following that security incident. [E11] British authorities have linked the incident to Tehran, and US officials have suggested the suspected plot may be linked to Iran targeting a US military facility. [E12][E13]