A suspected bomb plot near RAF Fairford was disrupted after one of five men arrested there called 999, prompting an armed police response. Investigators are examining why he made the call and whether the incident was an attempted attack, an effort to withdraw from a plan, or a deliberate signal to British and US authorities; the allegations have not been established.

The men, all British and in their twenties, were arrested near the Gloucestershire base, which has been used by the US military for strikes against Iran, then released on bail within 36 hours. Police found no improvised explosive devices in the vans but recovered petrol, and searches of the suspects’ London homes have been completed. Residents from about 85 evacuated households were allowed home on Monday, while US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the alleged plot involved a foreign actor, mentioning Iran without directly blaming Tehran.