British counterterrorism police arrested five men and evacuated dozens of homes near RAF Fairford — the Royal Air Force base that hosted U.S. bombers during strikes on Iran earlier this year — after a resident's tip led officers to three vans investigators say could have been rigged for a coordinated attack.
Why it matters: Experts warn a plot at RAF Fairford would be the clearest sign yet that Iran's threats against U.S. military installations are more than rhetoric — the base was central to Operation Epic Fury, the U.S. air campaign against Iran, and Iran's Revolutionary Guard has publicly warned that any base used against it is a legitimate target.
Driving the news:
Early Sunday, a local resident reported suspicious activity that led police to five men in three vans near the village of Whelford, about two miles from RAF Fairford, per Breitbart.
Authorities evacuated 85 households within a 400-meter cordon while the Army's Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit examined the vehicles; the base was placed on "Delta alert," its highest security posture, per Fox News.
The five were first held under the Explosives Act, then re-arrested on suspicion of preparing an act of terrorism, per Washington Examiner.
Investigators are examining a possible Iranian link given the base's role in U.S. strikes on Iran and the IRGC's past threats against bases supporting those operations, per Breitbart.
By the numbers:
5 — men arrested and still in custody.
3 — vans found at the scene under investigation.
85 — households evacuated within a 400-meter cordon around the site.
What they're saying:
“We are in the early stages of an investigation, and five men remain in custody,” said Vicki Evans, Counter Terrorism Policing's senior national coordinator, per Breitbart.
President Trump called the arrests “fantastic,” crediting joint U.S.-British cooperation, and said the suspects “were looking to do big damage to our fort,” per Fox News.
The other side: Investigators caution the probe is in its “early stages” and are also weighing non-state actors as possible culprits — no Iranian link has been confirmed and no group has claimed responsibility, per Breitbart and Fox News.
What's next:
Assistant Chief Constable Richard Ocone said police are working to return evacuated residents to their homes as quickly as possible, per Breitbart.
The Army's bomb disposal unit continues examining the vehicles and scene evidence as the five suspects remain in custody and the terrorism investigation continues.
The bottom line: A plot targeting the base that helped the U.S. strike Iran would mark Tehran's threats against American installations turning real — and it's likely to sharpen security postures at similar U.S. bases worldwide.
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