British police investigate whether arrests near US-run air base foiled an Iran-linked attack

The five, who have not been named, were initially held over suspected explosives offences, and later also arrested on suspicion of preparing an act of terrorism. British police arrested five men on Sunday on suspicion of preparing an act of terrorism and explosives offenses outside RAF Fairford, a military base in western England that’s operated by the U.S. FAIRFORD, England (AP) — Police were holding five men on Monday and examining suspected explosives found near a U.S.-operated air force base in England, as counterterror detectives investigated whether the arrests foiled an attempted attack linked to Iran.

The men were detained early Sunday after three vans were spotted near RAF Fairford, a U.K.-owned base operated by the U.S. Air Force that has been used by American bombers during decades of conflicts in the Middle East. Police can hold them for up to 14 days before they must be charged or released.

President Donald Trump said the suspects had been detained following cooperation between the U.S. and Britain, and had been “under view” for some time. Police, however, said the arrests were triggered by a late-night call about “suspicious vehicles” near the base.

British Defense Secretary Wes Streeting declined to give details of the operation, but said “it was a proud moment” that Trump had recognized “the work that our police and intelligence services do every day.” “As and when we can, we will report back to the public about these individuals and about the nature of the threat,” Streeting told Times Radio. Investigators have not concluded whether the incident is a state-backed attack, but are investigating a possible Iran link. The arrests come at a time of heightened tensions around the threat from hostile states, with British intelligence services saying Russia and Iran have both used proxies to commit crimes on British soil.

In March, officials said the number of national security cases involving activity by hostile states including Iran increased 50% in the six months to December 2025. Britain did not join the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran that began Feb. 28 and initially denied Trump’s request to use bases in the U.K.

But then-Prime Minister Keir Starmer agreed in March to let the U.S. use bases in Britain for what he called “defensive” operations against Iran’s missiles and their launch sites following Iranian attacks on U.K. interests and Britain’s allies in the Gulf.