Counter-terror probe launched after incident near UK airbase, a vital US launchpad

British counter-terrorism police have launched a major investigation following an incident near RAF Fairford, a significant airbase in Gloucestershire, southwest England, used by the US Air Force. Five men were arrested in the early hours of Sunday, September 27, 2026, initially on suspicion of explosives offenses, and later for preparing a terrorist act. The arrests were made after authorities received a report concerning three suspicious vehicles observed heading towards the base.

In response to the declared major incident, a 400-meter cordon was established, leading to the evacuation of residents from the nearby village of Whelford as a precautionary measure. Army bomb disposal experts were deployed to examine the suspicious vehicles, with aerial footage showing robots inspecting three vans at the scene.

RAF Fairford holds strategic importance as a US launchpad and has been utilized for American military operations, including strikes against Iranian missile sites. The incident unfolds amidst heightened concerns in the UK regarding potential hostile state-sponsored activities, particularly from Iran and Russia, and follows previous threats by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps against the base.