The United States has withdrawn its bomber aircraft from an RAF station in Britain amid concerns that the base could face a drone assault modelled on Ukraine’s Operation Spiderweb, according to sources.
Pentagon officials were reportedly anxious that Iran could attempt a similar strike against RAF Fairford after Ukraine’s June 2025 operation destroyed 10 Russian aircraft.
During Operation Spiderweb, drones were covertly transported into Russia by lorry drivers who did not know what they were carrying. The vehicles delivered the aircraft to sites close to Russian airfields, where the drones were later launched.
US military leaders feared Iran could replicate that method in Gloucestershire, with concerns that drones may already have been brought into Britain, sources told ITV News.
Washington sources also told the BBC that American officials were worried about possible sabotage or an attempt to strike the bombers should conflict with Iran intensify again.
The development followed President Donald Trump’s disclosure that “some threats” had prompted the aircraft’s departure, insisting they “didn’t fly out by accident”.
Earlier, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had attempted to dismiss speculation that the bombers were moved because of security fears.
B-1 bombers leave RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire and begin their journey home on Sunday
A B-1 bomber takes off from RAF Fairford as the US removes its aircraft from the British base
Five British men are detained close to RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire during the early hours of September 27
A robot examines three white vans following the suspected plot near RAF Fairford
The US secretary of state declined to confirm that the bombers’ departure was connected to a recent suspected terror plot aimed at the airbase.
However, when Mr Trump was asked outside the White House yesterday whether the planes had been relocated because of a threat, he replied: “Yeah, I think we can say that. They didn’t fly out by accident.”
He continued: “No, but there were some threats and rather than tempting the enemy, we’ll capture the enemy and beat the enemy.”
“But why should we keep them there? So we moved them around a little bit, not very far.”
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The president also said: “We actually know the people who made the threat.”
US Vice President JD Vance said the aircraft had been redeployed as a precaution, “out of an abundance of caution, trying to protect our guys”.
Speaking to reporters as he departed Washington for Alaska, he said the administration intended to act “as carefully as we possibly can be”.
Mr Vance added that US officials believed Iran was continuing a longstanding pattern of what he described as state-backed terrorism directed at America and others. “We are being extremely cautious,” he said.
Ukraine’s Operation Spiderweb involved drones being secretly transported into Russia by lorry drivers in July 2025
Russian TU-95 Bear bombers at the Olenya airbase on being destroyed by Ukrainian drones
Ukrainian drones were smuggled into Russia in containers disguised as modular homes
Russia’s Belaya air base in Irkutsk, Siberia, was set on fire after the drone strike by Ukraine
But Mr Rubio said he ‘wouldn’t directly tie’ the redeployment of the planes to the recent security alert close to the base.
He added: ‘It’s not unusual to see movement of assets to different parts of the world based on exercises, redeployments, people changing out and new people coming in, new planes coming in and old planes going out.’
Six men have been arrested over the past week in connection with a suspected plot targeting RAF Fairford, which had been hosting US bombers involved in strikes against Iran.
The Pentagon confirmed on Sunday that the aircraft that were stationed at the base had been ‘redeployed to their home stations in the United States’, but stressed the US Air Force retained the ability to strike ‘anywhere, any time’.
US officials told The New York Times the redeployment of the bombers had been ordered after more specific details about threats to the base emerged over the weekend.
Yesterday, Downing Street declined to comment on the withdrawal of US bombers but insisted RAF Fairford was safe.
