Foiled plot targeted bombers and personnel, U.S. officials say

The Pentagon on Sunday confirmed the removal of all U.S. B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford, an air base northwest of London that has served as a hub for U.S. bomber missions against Iran. American officials said the decision stemmed from security concerns over suspected terror plots against the facility.

“While operational security precluded us from confirming the movement of our assets and forces in real-time, we can acknowledge now that all U.S. bombers that were deployed to RAF Fairford have redeployed to their home stations in the United States,” the Pentagon said in a statement. The statement added that the bombers “remained ready to deliver global strike capabilities from the continental U.S.” The U.K. Ministry of Defence declined to comment.

Until their recent departure, a dozen B-1s had been stationed at the base, which has functioned as a launch point for strikes in Iran. The redeployment marks a shift in the U.S. posture at the facility, where the bomber fleet had been a regular presence.

The withdrawal follows the arrest of six suspects in connection with a suspected attack on the base that U.S. and British officials said was foiled the previous Sunday. U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham said there were “strong indications” that Iran played a role in the incident, which remained shrouded in mystery after the suspects were released on bail while the investigation continued.

U.S. officials were aware of an Iran-linked plot to attack the bomber aircraft and kill personnel at the base, The Wall Street Journal has reported. According to a senior U.S. official, a branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had recruited U.K. nationals to carry out the plot, which involved multiple steps including a diversion in the neighborhood nearby.

In the U.K., authorities are still trying to piece together what happened. Some U.K. officials have questioned the level of sophistication of the planned attack, even as the U.S. moved to withdraw all bombers from the base citing the security concerns.