<p class="PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer" dir="auto" data-start="13" data-end="437">The United States has abruptly withdrawn all of its B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, UK, sending them back to their home bases in the US. The move came amid an ongoing investigation into a suspected terror plot targeting the base, which has been used by the US for operations against Iran. Around 12 B-1 bombers were stationed at Fairford before the withdrawal. The development has triggered speculation over whether an Iran-linked threat prompted the move. British authorities have investigated several arrests connected to the suspected plot, including a UK-Iranian dual national, while Iran has denied involvement. President Donald Trump said “threats” were behind the redeployment, but Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the move as a routine rotation and cautioned against directly linking it to the suspected plot. RAF Fairford had served as an important European launch point for US bomber operations against Iran. The withdrawal therefore raises questions about the security of American military assets in Britain, although the Pentagon stressed that US bomber forces remain capable of conducting long-range strikes from other locations.</p>
