The US Just Quietly Pulled Every Bomber From RAF Fairford — Days After Six Arrests Nobody Has Fully Explained

Stop scrolling, because this one is a head-turner: the US has pulled every single bomber out of RAF Fairford, and nobody has officially said why.

The move comes days after a counter-terror incident at the British base. A statement from a US department official confirmed on Sunday that the aircraft have been "re-deployed to their home stations" in America, BBC News reports. Sky News also reports the US Air Force has removed all of its bombers from the Gloucestershire base.

The Tea ☕

• The US has removed all bombers from RAF Fairford, with no reason given.
• The move follows a 27 September incident in which six men were arrested on suspicion of terror offences and later bailed.
• The UK government says there are "strong indications" of an Iranian role. Iran denies it.

What Happened At Fairford

On 27 September, police were alerted to three "suspicious vehicles" near the airbase, according to the BBC.

Five men, aged between 23 and 25 and all UK nationals from London, were arrested in the early hours. They were first held on suspicion of explosives offences, then on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act.

They were later released on bail. Police described that as an "investigative decision" that was "grounded in experience and strategy".

A sixth man, aged 25 and described as a UK-Iranian national, was arrested in London on Thursday on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts. Counter terror police confirmed on Saturday that he had also been released on bail.

Why The US Move Matters

RAF Fairford has been used by the US Air Force as a forward operating location for decades. The BBC says that in recent months US bombers have flown from it to the Middle East, after the UK approved a US request to use the base for defensive strikes on Iran.

The US did not give a reason for the withdrawal. But Whitehall sources have not disputed that it was a response to the incident, the BBC reports.

The BBC has also been told the decision was military rather than political. It was reportedly taken at an operational level and passed from the US military to its British counterparts. The UK's Ministry of Defence has not commented.

What Officials Have Said

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said days after the incident that there were "strong indications" Iran had played a part, without giving further details. Tehran has strongly denied any involvement.

In July, Iran said any base used for aggression against Iranian territory was a "legitimate target", according to the BBC.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Fox News that the incident "clearly involve[d] the hands of a foreign actor". He did not elaborate.

President Donald Trump separately said he was "surprised" the five men were released on bail. "We know everything about them, we would not have released them," he said, adding that the UK had worked with the US "very closely".

What We Don't Know

Plenty is still unclear. Nobody has publicly explained why the bombers left, and the MoD has stayed quiet. No charges have been announced, and the six men remain on bail.

It's also not clear what the move means for future US use of the base.

What Happens Next

Watch for a response from the Ministry of Defence, any update from counter-terror police on the six men, and whether the US explains the withdrawal publicly.

Do you think the UK should say more about what happened at Fairford, or is it right to keep details back while police investigate? Tell us in the comments.

Sources: BBC News, Sky News