According to reporting by Ettelaat citing the Wall Street Journal, the US withdrew all B-1 bomber aircraft from RAF Fairford in the UK while a suspected terror plot investigation targeting the base remained ongoing. The Pentagon confirmed that all American bomber aircraft stationed at Fairford have been relocated to primary bases in the US. The base had served as a forward operating post during the seven-month Iran war, reducing flight times for bomber sorties.
According to the report, 10 of the 12 B-1 aircraft at the base departed England within Sunday. The withdrawal came after UK counter-terrorism police on September 27 identified three suspicious minibuses near the base and detained five British citizens; the suspects were released on bail and the investigation continues. On October 1, counter-terrorism teams detained a 25-year-old dual national (British-Iranian) on suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts in connection with the case. The presumption of innocence applies.
According to ISNA's separate report, while the Wall Street Journal reports 10 withdrawn aircraft, Israeli media was the first to report the story the previous day. According to Al Jazeera, the UK Prime Minister said there are "strong indications" that Iran may be connected to the plot while emphasizing that the investigation is ongoing; Tehran categorically denied any involvement. According to ITV News, investigators found gasoline in the minibuses but detected no explosive devices.
How the Persian press covered it
| Source (orientation) | Headline / framing |
|---|---|
| Ettelaat (moderate-traditionalist) | Reports the story in detail citing WSJ, framing it as a security concern and plot context. |
| ISNA (semi-official) | Provides limited reporting, covering only WSJ's aircraft count without further verification. |
| IRNA (state news agency) | Reports the story citing Israeli media, treating it as an allegation. |
Context
RAF Fairford, northwest of London, is a base the US used as a launch point for bomber aircraft in its air campaign against Iran. The US-Iran war that began in February 2026 has now lasted seven months; stationing bombers at the base significantly reduced flight times. While UK officials pointed to Iran with their "strong indications" language, the fact that the investigation has not resulted in charges and that five suspects were released shows the allegation remains unproven. For this reason, Tehran's denial and London's suspicion remain side by side as "unconfirmed."
The withdrawal decision itself is an indicator of both security concerns and how critical the base's operational role was in the war: the simultaneous departure of twelve strategic bombers could create a short-term gap in US air power deployment against Iran.
According to Ettelaat's detailed reporting, the Pentagon's official statement was kept extremely brief: the agency only confirmed that the aircraft returned to "primary bases," offering no explanation for the withdrawal or its duration. According to the report, this represented a marked departure from the period when the US had used Fairford as the "primary command center for launching bombing raids against Iran." According to ITV News, while suspects were released after the September 27 arrests, the investigation remains open—indicating UK authorities have not considered the matter closed.
According to Donya-ye Eghtesad's brief report, the withdrawn aircraft count initially circulated as 8 in early reports, then was updated to 10—a discrepancy reflecting information inconsistencies among sources in the first hours and should be noted as "unconfirmed" detail. IRNA's initial information also relied on Israeli media, with official US confirmation coming later—showing the story was first reinforced through indirect sources before being solidified by WSJ and Pentagon statements.
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