A B‑1B Lancer bomber arrives at RAF Fairford airbase, after police declared a major incident at the base and arrested several men on suspicion of offences under the Explosives Act, who have since been released on bail, in Fairford, Gloucestershire, Britain, September 29, 2026. REUTERS/Toby Shepheard

Iran drone plot fears led US to remove bombers from UK base, US officials say

· The Straits Times

WASHINGTON, Oct 6 - A suspected plot involving Iran to launch a complex drone attack on a key British airbase led the United States to remove its B-1 bomber aircraft from the base, two US officials told Reuters on Tuesday, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Iran has denied any involvement in any alleged plot at RAF Fairford, the preferred European base for US bombers. British police said on Tuesday they had arrested a 22-year-old British man in London on suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts as part of their investigation into the suspected plot.

A spokesperson for the US military's European Command declined to comment, saying: "It is inappropriate to discuss matters of intelligence, and we will not discuss specific force protection measures."

"As demonstrated across multiple operations, America's bombers, including B-1s, B-2s, and B-52s — can deliver precision global strike capabilities – including through operations that launch and recover from the continental United States – anywhere, anytime," the spokesperson said. REUTERS