UK police have released men who were arrested on suspicion of “terrorism” and "explosives offences" near an airbase in western England on bail. Investigators are examining possible links to Iran, Russia or non-state armed groups, but have yet to determine whether a foreign government was behind the alleged plot. The men, all British citizens in their early 20s from London, were freed on Monday after they were detained when three vans were spotted in the countryside near RAF Fairford, a UK-owned base that the United States has used in its war against Iran.
The base has been a focus of anti-war protests after the UK government decided to allow US bombers to use British bases such as RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire for their attacks against Iran. Initially, Sir Keir Starmer, the then UK prime minister, refused permission for the US to use British bases for their attacks against Iran. He called the war launched by US President Donald Trump on 28 February 2026 a “war of choice" and "not in Britain's interest."
His stance provoked a major rift with the White House, as it meant American warplanes had to fly longer distances to conduct their missions. US pressure eventually led Starmer to tone down his opposition, eventually allowing the US military to use British bases for “defensive” operations. Since then, the US has regularly launched long-range B-1 bombers, which can carry two dozen 2,000lb bombs, from RAF Fairford to conduct air strikes against Iran.
The UK's decision to grant the US access to its bases prompted an angry response from Tehran at the time, with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) issuing a direct threat to attack RAF Fairford. A statement issued by the organisation said: “Any base used for aggression against Iranian territory is a legitimate target for us”. The IRGC also accused Britain of causing the “misfortunes of the people of our region” by “dismantling Islamic countries... imposing despotic governments” and, “worst of all,” creating the “disaster of Israel”.
However, reacting to the alleged Fairfield plot, Iran said on Monday that it “categorically rejects and strongly condemns the recent unfounded and malicious speculations” by some British individuals and news outlets, warning that the claims would feed “Iranophobia propaganda” in the UK. The embassy also said Iran reserved the right to “take appropriate legal measures”.
US President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters at the White House, said the incident “might be” connected to Iran, adding that he would not have released the suspects on bail. “I wouldn’t have done that,” he said.
Apart from Iran, investigators will also be looking at any potential involvement by Russia, where Russian President Vladimir Putin has recently threatened to launch direct attacks against the UK for its continued support of Ukraine. The possible involvement of Islamist terror groups will also be looked at.
Highest alert
The suspected bomb plot means that RAF Fairford has been placed on its highest state of alert, while RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk, another UK base hosting US forces, has had its threat level raised to Charlie, the second-highest. On Sunday night, the US embassy urged its citizens in the UK to “exercise caution”.
Concerns have also been raised about the effectiveness of British security operations at these key bases after it was claimed the alarm was raised only after a local farmer reported encountering the suspected plotters while driving home from a party on Sunday.
“I saw a group of Middle Eastern-looking young guys running off through the trees. Some of them had masks or balaclavas on, and they all scattered ahead of us as we drove back past,” the farmer explained in press interviews.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has claimed that US intelligence officials had been aware of the suspected bomb plot, and had worked closely with their UK counterparts to thwart the attack. Trump said: “We had them under investigation. They were looking to do big damage to our fort, and working with the British worked out great”. Trump told reporters in Washington that the suspects had been under surveillance “for a long time” before their arrests.
The UK counter-terrorism operation at RAF Fairford comes against a backdrop of increased anti-UK activity by Iran, with numerous attacks linked to Iran having been uncovered on British soil. Some of the attacks have been mounted in response to the UK’s perceived support of US policy in the Middle East, while others have been directed specifically at Iranian dissident groups based in the UK.
Last month, it was revealed that Iran shut down a British power plant earlier this year in an unprecedented cyber attack. The facility was disabled for four days while staff fought to bring it back online. It is thought to be the first time that hackers affiliated with the Iranian regime have succeeded in closing down such a facility in the UK, and is believed to be the most successful cyber attack of its kind.
Ken McCallum, the director general of MI5, said in October last year that more than 20 further potentially lethal Iran-backed plots had been foiled over the past 12 months. The UK government has responded by taking an increasingly robust approach in its dealings with Iran.
