Gloucestershire Police on Sunday declared a major incident and arrested five men near RAF Fairford after receiving reports of three suspicious vehicles traveling toward the base at about 1245 a.m. local time.
A local resident reported three suspicious white vans parked in Whelford, a village situated roughly two miles from RAF Fairford. Armed officers responded and arrested five men initially under the Explosives Act. Later in the day, the Metropolitan Police's Counter Terrorism Command took charge of the investigation and further arrested the suspects on suspicion of the preparation of a terrorist act.
About 85 households in the nearby village of Whelford were evacuated to Cirencester Leisure Center. A 400-meter cordon was established, and the British Army’s explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) team deployed a remote-controlled bomb disposal robots to examine the three vans, which were found to contain viable incendiary devices and chemicals--now undergoing laboratory analysis to evaluate their technical capability and threat potential.
Police believe the incident is contained but are in the early stages of the investigation.
"A number of properties are currently being evacuated in the Whelford area following the declaration of a major incident," Gloucestershire Police said in the statement. "It follows the arrest of several men on suspicion of offences under the Explosives Act... A cordon is currently in place, but we would like to reassure people that we believe this incident is contained."
The five suspects, who were seen sitting handcuffed and shirtless on the road, remain in custody. Under the Terrorism Act 2000, they can be detained for up to 14 days without charge.
RAF Fairford is a strategic base hosting U.S. Air Force assets including 501st Combat Support Wing, 420th Air Base Squadron, and B-1 Lancer bombers, which have been used for airstrikes against Iran since March 2026. This follows former UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s authorization for U.S. operations against Iranian missile sites.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had previously issued warnings regarding the deployment of US bombers operating from UK territory. Authorities are investigating potential links to Iran, including whether the regime paid for the plot, though no direct link has been confirmed.
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said that the situation is being actively managed and reassured the public: "We can be reassured that this is being dealt with. It is exactly why our emergency response teams and Armed Forces are on standby 24/7."
RAF Fairford was raised to Delta alert (the highest threat level for US military installations), while nearby RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk moved to Charlie alert.
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham described the situation as "deeply concerning" and urged the public not to speculate.
A spokesperson for the 501st Combat Support Wing confirmed that US forces remain on high alert and are taking all necessary protective actions for service members and families.
Speaking to reporters Sunday, U.S. President Donald Trump praised the arrests as an "amazing job," claiming the suspects were looking to do "big damage" and had been under surveillance.
