US President Donald Trump last night said that a threat linked to Iran had prompted the removal of American B-1 bombers from a UK airbase.
The planes had been stationed at RAF Fairford, the preferred European base for US bombers, and had recently been used in US strikes on Iran.
Last week, five British men were arrested near the base – which Iran’s Revolutionary Guards previously said was a legitimate target – on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts.
“We had an idea that there might be a threat, and why would I leave them there? It costs very little money to move them,” Trump said.
“So we had a threat, and if we’re going to be threatened, we just move them, and that sort of alleviates that. And we actually know the people that made the threat.”
When asked if they were linked to Iran, Trump responded: “They would be linked to Iran.”
Earlier, Vice President JD Vance said the US moved the bombers out of an abundance of caution.
However, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said there was no direct link between the sudden removal of the bombers and the suspected Iranian plot. He said the Pentagon is ‘constantly reallocating resources where they need to be’.
A Nato military source had said: “It is still believed that Iran poses an acute threat to US assets in the UK.”
While much about the incident remains unexplained, British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said any plot was likely backed by Iran.
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