📰 10 sources 15 articles · 3 Oct 2026, 18:45 → 12 days ago

Alleged plot against RAF Fairford and the US withdrawal of B-1 bombers from Britain

Reports citing The New York Times and US officials revealed details of an Iran-supported attack plot targeting Britain's RAF Fairford base used by US forces, while a security incident near the base triggered a wide alert and arrests. This coincided with Washington expelling two members of Iran's UN delegation and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying Israel had warned Britain in advance, before the US withdrew 12 B-1 bombers from the base.

📍 Where things stand: The British government continues to say RAF Fairford is safe and its position on its use unchanged, with the possibility of the US bombers returning, while Tehran denies any involvement and investigations into the incident and those detained continue.

⏱️ Timeline

3 Oct 2026, 18:45 The New York Times, citing US officials, revealed details of an Iran-supported attack plot targeting Britain's RAF Fairford base, after communications and other intelligence were intercepted and enabled military commanders to prepare. The paper quoted a US official saying Israel warned Germany of possible risks targeting US military facilities, including the Spangdahlem and Ramstein bases, while Fairford is under a security investigation after five British men were arrested.
3 Oct 2026, 21:25 The New York Times reported that three white trucks moved after midnight on Sunday toward RAF Fairford, used by US forces, and a man inside one of them called emergency services at 12:45 am for reasons still under investigation. The call triggered a wide security alert that included evacuating 85 homes, using a robot to inspect the trucks and arresting five people.
4 Oct 2026, 00:15 Reports said the United States and Britain are investigating a possible link between Iran's Revolutionary Guard and the attack on RAF Fairford, as Washington announced the expulsion of two members of Iran's delegation to the United Nations, Iran's air defence announced it intercepted a hostile aircraft over Qeshm island, and flights between Iran and Iraq resumed.
4 Oct 2026, 01:20 The New York Times revealed details of an incident near RAF Fairford in southern England, where a mysterious call from a man inside three trucks led to a security alert and the arrest of five people. Police found no explosives and they were released on bail, amid US and British officials' belief that the plot is linked to Iran or the Revolutionary Guard, and warnings of plans to target US bases in Britain and Europe.
4 Oct 2026, 04:02 The US State Department announced that the United States expelled two members of the Iranian delegation that took part in the latest UN General Assembly meetings, after they ignored an order to leave the country. A US official told AFP that the two were found to still be in New York long after the General Assembly's proceedings ended and have now been expelled from the United States, noting that Secretary of State Marco Rubio is serious about what he says.
4 Oct 2026, 08:09 Axios reported that one of the two members of the Iranian delegation left the United States on Friday night and the other on Saturday morning, following the decision to expel them.
4 Oct 2026, 08:48 In an interview with Britain's Daily Mail, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli intelligence relayed to its British counterpart advance information about a "bloody attack" being planned with Iranian support against RAF Fairford, confirming the attack "was thwarted and prevented". Netanyahu criticised the Labour government over its handling of intelligence-sharing.
4 Oct 2026, 10:15 Washington said the two Iranian diplomats stayed in the country despite their visas expiring and instructions to leave, and that one left on Friday evening and the other on Saturday morning, while Tehran denied its delegation was expelled, saying its departure took place according to schedule.
5 Oct 2026, 03:00 The United States decided to withdraw all its B-1 bombers from Britain's RAF Fairford, according to The Wall Street Journal, a decision taken over security concerns about suspected plots to attack the facility. About 12 bombers of this type were based there, and Washington had used the base as a hub for bomber raids on Iran. A Pentagon spokesman confirmed the bombers were redeployed to their home bases in the United States.
5 Oct 2026, 10:30 The United States abruptly withdrew 12 B-1 strategic bombers from RAF Fairford in Britain and redeployed them to bases inside the United States, in response to urgent intelligence that US reports said was linked to threats from Iran. This coincided with security fears of possible attacks on US bases in Europe, arrests near the base, and Israeli warnings conveyed to European countries, while Tehran denied involvement.
5 Oct 2026, 17:24 The United States returned its 12 B-1 bombers from Britain's RAF Fairford to bases inside the United States, a step The Wall Street Journal said was driven by security concerns over a possible plot to target the base, after an alleged attack was thwarted on 27 September and six suspects were arrested. US officials linked the plot to a branch of Iran's Revolutionary Guard, which Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi denied.
5 Oct 2026, 18:03 Analysts said the withdrawal of about 12 B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford reduces the ability to increase air sorties against Iran but does not end military options, and may push reliance on distant bases such as Diego Garcia or bases in the Gulf, after these aircraft had been used for rapid strikes against Iran during the ongoing war.
5 Oct 2026, 19:10 The British government confirmed that RAF Fairford is safe and that its position on the base's use is unchanged, noting the possibility of the US bombers returning, after Washington withdrew the B-1 bombers for security reasons following a security incident on 27 September in which a number of suspects were arrested, with talk of possible Iranian involvement that Tehran denied.

Timeline written by AI from the sources below; updated as new reports arrive.

⚠️ Sources disagree

Number of people arrested in the incident near RAF Fairford

five people arrested according to العين الإخبارية
five British men arrested according to Euronews.com
six suspects arrested according to الجزيرة نت

Figures as each outlet reported them at the time. We do not judge which is correct; numbers often change as events develop.

How the sources covered it

Coverage angles varied between focusing on the security incident details, the arrests and release on bail, and Britain's assurance that the base is safe; the diplomatic dimension of expelling two members of Iran's delegation; and the military dimension of the B-1 withdrawal and intelligence warnings, while Netanyahu's remarks led only samanews.ps's coverage.

Euronews.com Presented the story through Israeli warnings to European countries and details of a plot targeting Fairford citing The New York Times and US officials, then in a later report led with the withdrawal of 12 B-1 bombers, describing the intelligence as urgent.
العين الإخبارية Focused on the incident details near the base (the mysterious call, three trucks, five arrests, no explosives found and release on bail), and carried separate reports on the expulsion of two members of the Iranian delegation and the B-1 withdrawal.
الجزيرة نت Its coverage was dominated by a military-political framing, linking the bomber withdrawal to the question of whether the Iran war is entering a new phase, noting the alleged attack was thwarted on 27 September with six suspects arrested, and citing US officials linking the plot to a Revolutionary Guard branch and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi's denial.
samanews.ps Made Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's remarks to the Daily Mail the focus, with his confirmation that Israel relayed advance information about a thwarted "bloody attack" with Iranian support and his criticism of the Labour government.
Iran International Built its report around Iran-related developments, leading with the investigation into a Revolutionary Guard link to the Fairford attack and the expulsion of two members of Iran's UN delegation, with references to an aircraft intercepted over Qeshm island and the resumption of flights with Iraq.
Lebanon Debate Highlighted the on-the-ground details of the security incident (the three trucks, the 12:45 am call, the evacuation of 85 homes, the use of a robot), and later carried a separate report on the British government's confirmation that the base is safe.