US removes B-1 bombers from UK base over Iran ‘terror plot’, expert exposes ‘vulnerabilities’: What we know so far

A dozen B-1 bombers had been stationed at Fairford, northwest of London, and were used in US strikes on Iran.

The United States (US) withdrew all B-1 bombers from Britain’s RAF Fairford, a base used for US strikes on Iran, after five men were arrested over a suspected terrorist plot that British officials say may have links to Tehran, Reuters reported Sunday.

A dozen B-1 bombers had been stationed at Fairford, northwest of London, and were used in US strikes on Iran.

“While operational security precluded us from confirming the movement of our assets and forces in real-time, we can acknowledge now that all US bombers that were deployed to RAF Fairford have re-deployed to their home stations in the United States,” a Pentagon spokesman told Reuters.

'Security concerns'

The Wall Street Journal first reported that the aircraft were removed amid security concerns over suspected terrorist plots against the facility.

British authorities are reportedly investigating possible involvement by a foreign state in the suspected plot.

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Wednesday there were “strong indications” of Iranian involvement.

Aviation watcher, the Military Air Tracking Alliance, observed dozens of B-52 and B-1 bombers operating out of RAF Fairford since the opening days of the Iran war. Observers noticed a host of B-1 bombers fly out of the base on Sunday, AP reported.

US bombers at UK base were ‘vulnerable to drone attacks’

David des Roches, a professor at the Thayer Marshall Institute, told Al Jazeera that the Pentagon’s decision to remove its B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford in the UK “should have [been] done a while ago”.

The base is at the centre of an alleged security incident, in which five men were arrested nearby on suspicion of plotting an attack.

Des Roches, a former Pentagon official, said the arrests “exposed a vulnerability” as the aircraft were “out in the open” and only about 300 yards (275 metres) from where the public could see them.

“So they were very vulnerable to, say, drone attacks or other kind of mortar attacks,” Roches told Al Jazeera.

He said the US Air Force has been “very slow to learn the lessons” from the Ukrainian drone attacks on Russia’s strategic bomber fleet in 2025, when Kyiv claimed destroying some 40 Russian military aircraft.

“We need to have overhead cover in some protection for these aircraft. The ability to provide that is probably greater in Texas and South Dakota than it is in Gloucestershire,” he said.

“Just a small drone or any kind of a drone with explosives on board could conceivably cause significant damage. We’ve seen that you can get to very close range of those,” he was quoted as saying.

Des Roches acknowledged that the deployment of the US bombers means “you lose a little bit of operational ability,” but said that given the threat seen here, “we should have had overhead cover for all of our aircraft, globally, years ago”.

Where are five arrested men?

Al Jazeera reported that the five men arrested near the base have been released on bail, and Iran has denied any involvement in the alleged plot there.

UK investigators discovered petrol in the men’s vans, but found no explosive devices. Still, officials in the UK say they remain under investigation.

Iran reacts

Iran summoned the British ambassador over the issue, rejecting accusations linking Tehran to the alleged plot as baseless, Iran International reported.

The British government had authorised the US to use bombers based at Fairford to strike Iranian missile sites targeting ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

Stay updated with the latest Trending, India, World and US news.

HomeNewsUs NewsUS removes B-1 bombers from UK base over Iran ‘terror plot’, expert exposes ‘vulnerabilities’: What we know so far