Counter-terrorism detectives are investigating whether Iran is behind a suspected car-bomb plot targeting an RAF base. Armed officers arrested five men, seen travelling in three vans, after an apparent tip from a heroic member of the public. But President Donald Trump warned the suspected attackers wanted to do “big damage”, adding that they were “under investigation” for “a long time”.
And Scotland Yard and MI5, alongside American intelligence officers, were last night trying to pinpoint whether Tehran orchestrated the conspiracy to kill American troops stationed at RAF Fairford. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards warned in July it would not allow US bombers to fly from Fairford, saying any base used to launch attacks would be a legitimate target. The five suspects were initially arrested on suspicion of “committing offences under the Explosives Act”. They were then re-arrested on suspicion of preparation of a terrorist act. The men were stripped down to their torsos amid fears they may have also been wearing suicide vests.
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The five suspects were initially arrested on suspicion of “committing offences under the Explosives Act”. They were then re-arrested on suspicion of preparation of a terrorist act. The men were stripped down to their torsos amid fears they may have also been wearing suicide vests.
A police source told the Daily Express: “This was intelligence led policing, pure and simple. There has been a lot of covert activity in the background.” Bomb disposal teams were deployed to examine the devices found in the three vans, with some 85 families evacuated from their homes to a nearby leisure centre during the daring operation. A robot from the Army’s specialist explosive ordnance disposal team moved between the three parked vans, with what appeared to be large black barrels outside the vehicle.
Police are examining several possible motives, including that the network was carrying out orders on behalf of Tehran or Moscow, or that it was an Islamist terror plot.
President Trump declared: “We had them under investigation. They were looking to do big damage to our fort. We had them under view for a long time, and we got them.”RAF Fairford had been a staging post for US long-range bomber jets during combat operations in Iran. A terrified resident in Whelford, Glocs, alerted police after seeing a “large group of hooded and ‘balaclava’d’ men” near the airbase in the early hours of Sunday morning.
The farmer, who asked not to be named, said: “I saw a group of Middle Eastern-looking young guys running off through the trees. Some of them had masks or balaclavas on, and they all scattered ahead of us as we drove back past.
“Some of them ran into the fields, and some of them turned to run towards the air base. We realised this was something pretty serious.
“We knew the air base had a credible threat of a terrorist attack before last night. So as soon as I saw them I was worried.”
And the resident suggested police and intelligence agencies may have been sitting on crucial clues.
She said: “We thought something was going on as they had housed B1 bombers at the base until earlier this week when they were moved. And then suddenly they started blocking entrances to the air base.
“They started blocking those with diggers and tractors and things early in the week, which seems a bit Dad’s Army to be honest.
“By Friday they had sent all their civilian staff home, and then because this is a small village, we started noticing people who weren’t local and the suspicion was they were plain clothes police of some kind. We all knew something unusual was going on.”
Donald Trump broke his silence on the Fairford bomb plot (Image: SKY News)
She added: “A plucky amateur shouldn’t be spotting an unusual bit of activity at 1am when the air base is on high alert. I think it’s absolutely astonishing.” One of the vans examined by bomb-disposal teams was emblazoned with “FUEL 2YOU”, on the side in red lettering, with a phone number.
But there is almost no public record of such a company. A company with a similar name, Fuel 2U, confirmed to the Daily Express that they owned two vans, and both were in their depot in London. It creates the possibility that the alleged attackers were trying to blend in by posing as a fuel delivery company.
The company said in a statement: “We want to make it absolutely clear that neither the vehicle nor any of the individuals involved has any connection whatsoever with Fuel2U, its directors, employees or current business operations.
“We are extremely concerned that our company’s name has been used without our knowledge or permission.
“We are cooperating fully with the relevant authorities and will assist them with any enquiries.”
Prime Minister Andy Burnham admitted the “incident near RAF Fairford will be deeply concerning for local residents and for many people following developments across the country.”
He added: “The safety and security of the public is our first priority, and I want people to know that we will always take every step necessary to protect our communities and keep our country safe. The investigation remains ongoing, and I would urge people not to speculate while the authorities establish the full facts.”
Terror Cops Issue Huge Iran Update on RAF Base Bomb Plot
Counter-terrorism police are investigating a possible Iranian connection after five men were arrested near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire in an incident involving three suspicious vans and suspected explosives.
The arrests have triggered a major security operation around the airbase, which has been used by the United States military during its operations against Iran. British authorities have stressed that the investigation remains at an early stage, while officials have urged the public not to speculate about the motives of those arrested.
The development has nevertheless raised immediate questions about whether the incident could be connected to the wider conflict involving Iran and the use of British military facilities by the United States.
According to police, officers received a call at approximately 12.45am on Sunday after a member of the public reported three suspicious vehicles that appeared to be travelling towards RAF Fairford. Armed officers subsequently attended the scene and arrested five men. The suspects were initially detained under the Explosives Act before being further arrested on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act.
A 400-metre cordon was established around the vehicles while Army explosive ordnance disposal specialists examined them.
Around 85 households in the surrounding area were evacuated as a precaution. Residents were unable to return home while specialists assessed the potential danger posed by the vehicles and their contents.
The operation continued for hours, with bomb-disposal equipment used to inspect the vans. Counter Terrorism Policing subsequently confirmed that it had taken the lead in the investigation.
Vicki Evans, the senior national coordinator for Counter Terrorism Policing, said investigators were still at an early stage and that the five men remained in custody. She also stressed that police were working with partner agencies to establish exactly what had happened.
The identity and nationality of the suspects have not been publicly disclosed.
Why Iran has become a focus
The most significant development surrounding the case is the investigation into a possible Iranian connection.
Sky News reported that counter-terrorism investigators were examining whether Iran was linked to the suspected plot. Other reports have similarly said that investigators were looking at a potential connection to the conflict in the Middle East.
However, officials have not publicly established that Iran ordered, funded or otherwise directed the suspected attack.
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting was asked about the possibility of Iranian involvement during the Labour Party conference. He declined to speculate, saying that it would be irresponsible to comment on the motivation or origins of the suspects’ activities while the investigation was still developing.
That caution is significant.
A possible connection to Iran is being investigated, but an investigation into a potential link is not the same as proof of Iranian involvement.
RAF Fairford’s importance
The location of the incident has intensified attention.
RAF Fairford is a British airbase in Gloucestershire that hosts the United States Air Force’s 501st Combat Support Wing. It has long been an important facility for American military aviation and has been used by US strategic bombers.
In 2026, its significance increased further because the United States has used the base for operations connected to the war with Iran. That has made Fairford an especially sensitive military location.
The presence of American aircraft has also made the base a potential focus for discussions about retaliation and security threats connected to the conflict.
Reports have previously highlighted warnings from Iran concerning military bases used for attacks against Iranian territory. In July, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps was reported to have warned that bases used for aggression against Iran could be considered legitimate targets.
Those statements form part of the wider security background to the current investigation, although they do not establish a direct connection between Iran and the five men arrested near Fairford.
A chance discovery
One of the most striking aspects of the incident is how the police operation reportedly began.
A local resident noticed three vans and unusual activity in the area during the early hours of Sunday. Reports said that a group of men were wearing hoods or balaclavas.
The resident contacted emergency services, prompting police to respond.
The subsequent arrests appear to have followed that initial call rather than a publicly announced intelligence operation.
The Press Association reported that the investigation was not intelligence-led, according to information it had received.
That detail could become important as investigators reconstruct the events.
Police will want to establish why the vehicles were in the area, what materials they contained, where the men had travelled from and whether their destination was actually RAF Fairford.
They will also need to determine whether the materials found in the vehicles constituted functioning explosive devices or components that could have been assembled into such devices.
Trump praises the arrests
US President Donald Trump has also commented on the incident.
Trump said the suspects had been looking to cause “big damage” and praised the cooperation between British and American authorities.
His comments underline the significance of the base to the United States.
The US Air Force has said its personnel at Fairford remain vigilant but has declined to discuss specific security measures for operational reasons.
The organisation said that American and British authorities would take appropriate steps to protect military personnel, civilian staff, contractors and their families.
Security operation continues
The response around Fairford has been extensive.
The 400-metre exclusion zone was designed to give bomb-disposal specialists sufficient space to examine the vehicles safely. Residents were temporarily evacuated while the operation continued.
Gloucestershire police said the situation was believed to be contained, but warned residents and members of the public not to interfere with the operation.
The investigation is now likely to involve several different agencies.
Counter Terrorism Policing will examine the potential terrorist element, while explosive specialists will analyse any suspicious materials recovered from the vans. Intelligence agencies may also examine the backgrounds, communications and movements of those arrested.
If investigators establish an overseas connection, the international dimension of the case could become increasingly important.
Wider concern over hostile-state activity
The incident comes amid heightened British concern about hostile-state activity.
British security authorities have previously warned about threats involving states including Russia and Iran and the use of proxies or intermediaries to conduct operations inside the United Kingdom.
According to reporting by the Press Association, officials said in March that the number of national-security cases involving hostile-state activity, including Iran, had increased by 50 per cent during the six months to December 2025.
The British government has also taken measures relating to organisations linked to Iran.
Those developments have created a broader security environment in which any suspected attack against a military installation connected to US operations in the Middle East is likely to receive particularly close scrutiny.
But investigators still have to establish the facts of the Fairford case independently.
What happens to the suspects?
The five men remain in custody.
Under Britain’s terrorism legislation, suspects arrested on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act can potentially be detained for considerably longer than people arrested under ordinary criminal procedures, subject to the relevant legal requirements.
At this stage, however, no public evidence has established that the suspects have been charged with carrying out an attack.
Their arrest means that police suspect serious criminal activity, but it does not itself prove guilt.
Investigators will now be looking at forensic evidence, the contents of the vans, electronic communications and the movements of the suspects before their arrest.
They will also need to determine whether there were additional people involved.
Police have said they believe the situation is contained and have not publicly announced a wider search for suspects connected with the incident.
A major security test
For RAF Fairford, the incident represents a significant security challenge because of the base’s role in US military operations.
For the surrounding communities, it has meant evacuations, road closures and a major emergency response.
For Britain’s counter-terrorism authorities, the most important question is now whether the incident was an isolated criminal operation or part of a wider plan.
The potential Iranian connection is particularly sensitive because RAF Fairford has been associated with US military activity against Iran.
Yet British officials have so far resisted drawing conclusions before investigators have established the evidence.
That distinction will remain crucial in the days ahead.
The arrests themselves are a major development, but the investigation is far from complete. Authorities must determine exactly what was found in the vans, what the suspects intended to do, whether the airbase was their intended target and whether anyone else was involved.
Most importantly, investigators must establish whether there is any genuine connection to Iran.
For now, that remains a line of inquiry rather than a confirmed conclusion.
The security operation around RAF Fairford demonstrates how seriously British authorities are treating the incident. But the final explanation for what happened will depend on the evidence gathered by counter-terrorism officers and forensic specialists in the coming days.
As the investigation continues, both British and American authorities are maintaining heightened vigilance around the base, while local residents await further information about when the security operation will fully end.