
The United States has withdrawn all long-range American bombers stationed at RAF Fairford from the United Kingdom, returning them to their bases in the US. According to CNN, the decision was made after a new threat, which a US official described as a "real-world incident."
The move comes just days after British authorities arrested several people in connection with an alleged Iranian plot to attack the base where the US bombers were stationed. The British Ministry of Defence declined to comment on the aircraft's relocation.
RAF Fairford has served as a base for US B-1 bombers involved in operations against Iran and is an operational point for US Global Strike Command. According to CNN analyst Alex Plitsas, the base may have housed several dozen bombers.
According to CNN, the decision to remove all the planes and return them to the US is unusual, as in such cases the bombers are usually moved to another base in the region. Plitsas said the move shows the level of reliability and seriousness of the threat to the British base.