British authorities evacuated 85 homes and are probing possible Iranian involvement after foiling a suspected van bomb plot at an RAF base used by American bombers.
Five men were arrested in the early hours of Sunday near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire after a local resident flagged three separate vans as suspicious, and British counterterrorism police are now examining whether the alleged plot has ties to Iran.
The men were first held on suspected explosives charges, then further arrested on suspicion of preparing a terrorist attack. Authorities declared a major incident, threw up a 400-meter cordon around the vehicles, and ordered roughly 85 nearby households out of their homes while the army’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit examined the scene.
Breitbart reported that detectives are investigating possible Iranian involvement given the base’s role in U.S. operations, while also leaving open the possibility of non-state actors. Five men remain in custody as the inquiry continues in its early stages.
U.S. President Donald Trump praised the joint work that stopped the threat. He said American and British authorities had the suspects under investigation and under view for a long time.
Trump stated:
“We had them under investigation; they were looking to do big damage to our fort and working with the British worked out great... We had them under view for a long time and we got them.”
He called the outcome fantastic and described the cooperation with Britain as amazing. The remarks came as an update after the arrests and evacuation order near the base used by U.S. forces.
Vicki Evans, national co-ordinator at Counter Terrorism Policing, said the force is still gathering evidence and working with partners.
Evans said:
“We are in the early stages of an investigation, and five men remain in custody. As you would expect we are working closely with our partners to understand the circumstances of the incident.”
She added that a 400-meter cordon remains in place around the vehicles while army disposal specialists conduct examinations, and that about 85 households were evacuated as a precaution while that work continues.
Richard Ocone, assistant chief constable at Gloucestershire police, stressed that emergency services train for major incidents and that the public should expect a visible presence for some time. A nearby leisure centre was opened as a safe space for anyone who could not stay with friends or relatives.
Ocone said:
“We’d like to thank the residents who have left their homes this morning for their understanding and support. We appreciate the disruption this will have caused and would like to reassure them we are working as quickly as we can to get them back in their properties. We would ask the public not to speculate but to follow official channels for updates.”
Additional reporting filled in how the arrests unfolded on the ground. The New York Post reported that officers held the suspects at gunpoint after fearing they might be wearing suicide vests, then stripped them down. A bomb disposal robot examined the three vans, where chemicals and suspected explosive devices were found. MI5 is assisting the investigation.
Sources familiar with the inquiry told the Telegraph that Iranian agents are likely to have been directly involved themselves, rather than operating only through proxies. Police are examining that possibility of direct regime involvement in the suspected plot against the base.
Local resident Julian Tudsbery described the sudden order to leave. He said several police and three police cars arrived in the drive and told him he needed to evacuate because there had been a major incident, adding that the officer could not elaborate further.
RAF Fairford is a Royal Air Force base in Gloucestershire used by the United States Air Force. Four American bombers reportedly used the base in connection with operations tied to the Iran conflict, including activity linked to Iranian missile targets that had launched attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
The United States Air Force said personnel at RAF Fairford will remain vigilant but will not discuss specific force protection measures for operational security reasons. The service added that it constantly assesses a variety of factors that determine what measures it institutes or modifies to protect installations, people, and families.
Sir Keir Starmer initially refused the Trump administration access to British bases for military actions against Iran. He later agreed in March to allow U.S. military forces to use British bases for “defensive purposes” in the context of the Iran conflict. That shift put facilities like Fairford back in the operational picture.
The possible Iran angle does not arrive in a vacuum. Ken McCallum, Director General of Britain’s Security Service (MI5), revealed that between January 2022 and October 2024, British authorities responded to 20 Iranian-backed terror plots on Britain and its citizens.
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps has said that any base used in America’s operations should be considered a legitimate target for strikes. That public posture is part of the backdrop counterterrorism detectives are weighing as they test whether this alleged plot tracks back to Tehran, to proxies, or to other actors.
No names, nationalities, or ages of the five men have been released. Officials have not said whether a completed device was recovered, what the disposal examinations finally concluded, or how long the cordon and evacuation will last. Injuries and property damage have not been reported.
When a resident’s tip, three vans, and fast joint work stop a plot aimed at a base flying American bombers, the lesson is simple: treat the Iran threat as real, keep the alliance tight, and do not wait for the next warning to arrive the hard way.
