Why has the US withdrawn military bombers from RAF Fairford in the UK?

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The US Air Force has removed all its military bombers from RAF Fairford following an investigation into a suspected terrorist threat at the airbase.

Flight tracking platforms recorded the aircraft, including B-1s, departing the airfield on Sunday as the fleet returned to the US.

“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,” a Pentagon spokesperson said.

Some of the aircraft that flew out of RAF Fairford on Sunday had only arrived at the base on rotation a week ago.

The withdrawal of aircraft could be in response to a renewed security concern over the safety of the base, according to a report in the New York Times.

“One US official said the new information was part of the same threat warnings that surfaced three weeks ago, but specific details and a sense of urgency spiked in the past 24 hours, alarming commanders,” the report said.

The air base in Gloucestershire was the target of a suspected terror attack on 27 September.

Five UK nationals in their mid-20s were arrested on suspicion of explosives offences and terrorism and then bailed.

On Saturday, Counter Terrorism Policing (CTP) said a sixth man arrested in connection with events at RAF Fairford had been released on bail.

The 25-year-old, a dual UK-Iranian national, was arrested on suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts under Section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006.

Counter-terror police have said a quantity of petrol but no explosive devices were found in the vans that sparked the security alert.

Senior CTP national co-ordinator Vicki Evans previously said the investigation was “hugely complex”, adding that specialist teams were “interrogating multiple lines of inquiry”.

She added: “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.

A woman who lives near the base reported suspicious activity in the early hours of Sunday, 27 September, after spotting a “large group of hooded and masked men” emerging from three large vans.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, the woman said she noticed something “highly unusual was taking place” and attempted to contact the Ministry of Defence police but received no response.

She contacted 999 at 1.36am as she was aware that RAF Fairford had been operating at a high security level at the time.

However, Wes Streeting has said the farmer who phoned police about suspicious activity near RAF Fairford has only “a partial picture” of the situation.

RAF Fairford, located in Gloucestershire 100 miles (160km) west of London, has been used by the US Air Force for decades, covering several conflicts in the Middle East.

In recent months, former prime minister Keir Starmer granted the US permission to use British bases for “defensive” strikes against Tehran.

Other military bombers are located at RAF Lakenheath in West Suffolk which is home to F-35A Lightning II and F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jets.

The base is also a stopover for fighters heading to and from the Middle East from the US.

RAF Mildenhall, which is also in West Suffolk, hosts KC-135 tankers that belong to the 100th Air Refueling Wing stationed at the base.

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