US withdraws B-1 bombers from Britain after security scare near Iran operations base

WASHINGTON: The United States has withdrawn all B-1 bomber aircraft deployed to Royal Air Force Fairford in Britain, the Pentagon confirmed Sunday, after a security incident near the airbase prompted the evacuation of 85 homes.

A Pentagon official said all US bombers deployed to Fairford had returned to their home stations in the United States.

"Operational security precluded us from confirming the movement of our assets and forces in real-time," the official said.

Police were called to the airbase in southwest England last Sunday after a local farmer reported seeing several vans and a group of men involved in what he described as suspicious activity.

The incident led to the evacuation of 85 homes near the base, which has been used by the United States to launch strikes on Iran.

Speculation over the purpose of the activity included the possibility of a security threat or fuel theft, amid record-high energy prices in Britain this week.

Investigators said they found no explosives in the vans but recovered "a quantity of petrol", according to Lawrence Taylor, head of Britain's National Counter Terrorism Policing.

Five London-based British men, all in their mid-20s, were arrested in connection with the incident and later released on bail.

US President Donald Trump criticised their release, telling reporters: "I wouldn't have done that."

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said a "foreign actor" was involved in the incident, without publicly identifying the actor.

Iran's embassy in London rejected suggestions that Tehran was involved, saying it "categorically rejects and strongly condemns" such speculation.

Security at Fairford had reportedly been increased in recent weeks.

Britain gave Washington permission in March to use the base for "specific defensive operations into Iran", after which US bombers and other aircraft were seen taking off from and landing at the facility.

Fairford is the only airbase on mainland Britain being used by the United States for this purpose.

The incident began after a farmer living in Whelford, a village near the airbase, contacted police when he saw three vans blocking a road and a group of masked men fleeing the area.

Aerial footage of the vans showed what appeared to be barrels inside them. At least one vehicle carried a fake logo and telephone number intended to make it appear that it belonged to a legitimate diesel delivery company.