US withdraws all bombers from RAF Fairford after suspected terror plot

US withdraws all bombers from RAF Fairford after suspected terror plot US Air Force bombers were sent back to their home bases in the US from RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, with the aircraft flying out on Sunday The US Air Force has withdrawn all of its bombers from RAF Fairford after a suspected terror plot. All bombers that had been deployed to the Gloucestershire base have now been sent to their home stations in the US. Aircraft monitoring sites showed B-1 bombers flying out of the UK base on Sunday, with the US Air Force confirming in a statement that the move has taken place. A Pentagon official said on Sunday: "US Air Force bombers routinely operate around the world to support global force readiness and operational requirements. 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 redeployed to their home stations in the United States. "The airmen that operate America’s bomber force, including B-1s, B-2s, and B-52s, remain ready to deliver precision global strike capabilities – including through operations that launch and recover from the continental United States – anywhere, anytime." According to two US officials, the Air Force withdrew all 12 B-1 bombers from the air base after new threats of an Iran-backed plot. The officials added that the need to remove the bombers was deemed very urgent, with some planes and their flight crews left while aerial refueling aircrafts were still being scrambled to support their flights, reports the NY Times. This comes as a sixth man arrested in connection with events at RAF Fairford was released on bail on Saturday. The suspect is a 25-year-old man who is a dual UK-Iranian national. He was arrested on suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts under Section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006. Five British nationals, all in their mid-20s, were arrested on suspicion of explosives offences and terrorism and then bailed. Three suspicious vans were spotted near the military site last weekend. The investigation has been described as "hugely complex" by senior Counter Terrorism Policing national coordinator Vicki Evans, who added that specialist teams are "Interrogating multiple lines of inquiry". She said: "As we've made clear, we're looking at all possible angles – including possible foreign state involvement." Prime Minister Andy Burnham said there were “strong indications” that Iran played a part in the incident. RAF Fairford has been used in recent months by US bombers after former prime minister Sir Keir Starmer granted Washington permission to use British bases for "defensive" strikes against Tehran during the Middle East war. Counter-terror police have said a quantity of petrol but no explosive devices were found in the vans that sparked the security alert. On Thursday, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed Israel had handed Britain intelligence about the suspected terror plot. Netanyahu said his country warned UK authorities about the "Iranian-sponsored attack" shortly before Britain's announcement of a ban on trade with illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Earlier in the week, US president Donald Trump said he was "disappointed" after the five men were released on bail. He told reporters: "We were involved in [the investigation], but as you know, your fellow countrymen let them go. Well, they didn’t let them go. They put them out on bail. I assume they haven’t watched closely… they should not have done that."