Five Arrested Near RAF Fairford on Terror Charges

UK counter-terror police arrested five men near RAF Fairford, the US base used to strike Iran, reportedly probing a possible Iran link.

Gloucestershire Police said they received a call at about 00:45 GMT on Sunday about three suspicious vehicles apparently travelling toward RAF Fairford in the west of England, prompting officers to arrest five men on suspicion of offences under the Explosives Act. Counter-terrorism police have taken over the investigation, a 400-metre cordon was placed around the vehicles while the Army's Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit examined them, and around 85 households were evacuated as a precaution. Authorities have not confirmed whether explosives were found or whether the base itself was the target.

RAF Fairford has long been used by US and NATO forces, and since March the United States has used it to launch attacks on Iran, with the UK authorising US bombers based there to strike Iranian missile sites targeting ships in the Strait of Hormuz. In July, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned that bases used to launch attacks on Iran could be treated as legitimate targets, and the Iranian ambassador has previously described the bombers' use of Fairford as an important matter for Iran's self-defence. That backdrop makes any plot near the base especially charged.

According to CNBC, citing reporting by The Daily Telegraph, UK counter-terrorism police are understood to suspect Iran is the most likely state actor behind the alleged plot, and the Telegraph's sources indicated Tehran would be unlikely to have relied on criminal proxies as in previous incidents, suggesting potential direct state involvement. Asked about possible Iranian involvement, UK Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said it would be "very unwise" to speculate, and authorities have not officially linked the arrests to Iran or confirmed Fairford as a target.

President Donald Trump told reporters the arrest in the UK was "fantastic" and "an amazing job", saying the suspects had been under investigation by UK and US authorities for a long time and were looking to do "big damage" to a US port. Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who has been receiving updates, called the incident deeply concerning and urged people not to speculate, while Streeting thanked the emergency and specialist teams and said the country could be reassured it was being dealt with. The US mission to the UK issued a security alert urging Americans to exercise caution.

Chris Phillips, a former head of the UK's National Counter Terrorism Security Office, told Al Jazeera that the nature of the explosives in the three vans — whether homemade or military — will change the investigation significantly and would be key to understanding the severity of the threat, potentially as large devices that could kill many people. He also noted that authorities have yet to locate the bomb factory where the explosives were allegedly made, or any other members of the gang who might have been heading to other sites around the country.

Five men remain in custody as the counter-terrorism investigation continues, and police warned the public to expect an emergency services presence in the area for some time while following official channels for updates. The arrests land amid a wider standoff, with US-Iran talks appearing to end in stalemate over the weekend after Trump rejected Tehran's conditional offer to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, though Trump told Axios he expected negotiators to engage in more talks this week. Oil prices rose sharply on Monday, with Brent up 3.8% at $108.32 a barrel, according to CNBC.