U.S. Relocates B-1 Bombers from U.K. Base Amid Iran-Linked Threats, Trump Confirms

President Donald Trump announced Monday that the United States has withdrawn all B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire following unspecified threats he believes are connected to Iran. The Pentagon confirmed the aircraft had departed the base — which has been used to launch what officials described as defensive strikes on Tehran — even as the British government maintained the installation remains secure.

“There were some threats,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “And rather than tempting the enemy — we’ll capture the enemy and beat the enemy, but why should we leave them there? So we moved them around a little bit, not very far.”

The move follows a counter-terrorism investigation triggered on September 27, when a local farmer reported a group of men with several vans engaged in suspicious activity near the base. Five suspects arrested at the time and a British-Iranian national detained later have all been released on bail. Investigators found no explosives in the vehicles but recovered a quantity of petrol, according to counter-terrorism police.

Trump declined to comment on reports that the threat involved attack drones, stating only: “I can’t tell you that but if they did they’ll suffer greatly.” He added, “We actually know the people that made the threat. They would be linked to Iran.”

Two U.S. officials told American media outlets the bombers were relocated after commanders received new intelligence regarding an Iran-backed plot. One official said the latest information was part of the same threat stream that emerged three weeks ago, but the situation became urgent within the past 24 hours.

Asked whether the base was safe, a spokesman for U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham replied: “Yes. We have tried and tested approaches to defend our bases around the country and throughout the world.”

Speculation about the incident has ranged from a terror threat to fuel theft, as U.K. energy prices hit record highs this week. Burnham previously said there were “strong indications that Iran played a part,” a charge Tehran has categorically rejected. Trump had earlier criticized British authorities for releasing the arrested men — all in their mid-20s — on bail pending further investigation. Iran’s embassy in London said it “categorically rejects and strongly condemns” speculation linking Tehran to the incident.

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