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The US has withdrawn bombers from RAF Fairford after they were used in strikes on Iran. The move comes as Washington reviews fresh military options and Britain investigates a suspected terror plot.
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Washington,Oct 5, 2026 03:04 IST
The US Air Force has brought back to the United States the bombers that had been stationed at a US-run military base in England and used in strikes on Iran, following an investigation into a planned terror attack linked to the base.
The move comes as President Donald Trump considers the next steps in the US military campaign against Iran, including possible fresh strikes, even though he had initially said the operation would last only a matter of weeks.
A Pentagon official, who was not authorised to discuss sensitive military movements and spoke on condition of anonymity on Sunday, said the bombers had been redeployed to their home bases in the US. Aviation watchers, including the Military Air Tracking Alliance, had observed dozens of B-52 and B-1 bombers operating from RAF Fairford since the opening days of the Iran war. Observers also noticed several B-1 bombers leaving the base on Sunday.
Speaking to reporters on Saturday as he left the White House for a rally in Ohio, Trump said, "We have decisions that I'll make about Iran. Iran's been decimated. So the only question is - it'll either be the easy way, or the hard way."
Last week, a dual British-Iranian national was arrested in central London on suspicion of plotting a terror attack after a security incident at RAF Fairford in late September. A total of six people have been taken into custody and later released on bail during the investigation. British authorities have linked the incident to Tehran, while Iran has denied any involvement.
RAF Fairford, about 100 miles west of London, has long been used by American bombers during conflicts in the Middle East. The US military also continues to maintain a significant presence in the region. On Thursday, a US official said the recently deployed USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier and the USS Malkin Island amphibious readiness group, which together carry more than 7,000 sailors and 2,000 Marines, were heading to the region. The official said this could mean there are three carriers in the region by the end of October.
The return of the bombers from RAF Fairford follows the terror investigation in Britain and comes at a time when Washington is weighing further military options against Iran while continuing to build up its forces in the Middle East.
With PTI Inputs
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