Five men have been arrested near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire on suspicion of preparing a terrorist attack against the US Air Force base. The arrests followed an alert from a local farmer who spotted suspicious activity near three white vans in the early hours of Sunday morning; police subsequently discovered viable incendiary devices and chemicals within one of the vehicles. The US Embassy has issued a warning for Americans in the UK to exercise caution, whilst the US President praised the rapid British police response. The incident prompted the evacuation of approximately 85 nearby homes and a significant security operation involving armed police, the SAS, and Army bomb disposal experts.

RAF Fairford serves as the US Air Force's primary command outpost for European operations and has been used to launch strikes on Iranian military targets in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran's Revolutionary Guard had issued a specific warning about the base in July, demanding that Britain prevent American bombers from operating there. The five men appear to have been detected through routine police investigation rather than prior intelligence, with authorities crediting close cooperation between British and American agencies for preventing what could have been a significant attack. The incident is believed to be contained, and authorities are providing support to residents affected by the precautionary evacuations.