U.S. B-1 bombers evacuated from UK base because of threat of Iranian drone attack
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A U.S. Air Force B-1 Lancer bomber is pictured on the tarmac at RAF Fairford base in England last week. Photo: Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images
The U.S. military evacuated a dozen B-1 bombers from the RAF Fairford airbase in the UK over the weekend as a result of intelligence suggesting an Iranian drone attack, U.S. officials said.
Why it matters: Such an Iranian drone attack from British soil against the base could have led to the killing of U.S. service members and destroyed the strategic bombers.
- It would have been an unprecedented and brazen attack by Iran against a U.S. base in Europe — with the potential for dramatic escalation in the war in the Middle East.
- When asked by reporters on Monday if Iran planned to launch a drone attack against the base from British soil, Trump said: "I can't tell you that. If they did they will suffer greatly."
Driving the news: The dozen B-1 bombers were evacuated from the base in the UK only several weeks after being deployed there.
- The Pentagon said on Sunday that "all U.S. bombers that were deployed to RAF Fairford have re-deployed to their home stations in the United States."
- It added that the U.S. military bomber force, including B-1s, B-2s, and B-52s, "remain ready to deliver precision global strike capabilities — including through operations that launch and recover from the continental United States."
Between the lines: The decision to move the bombers came several days after British security forces arrested several dual British-Iranian citizens suspected of planning an attack on the base.
- U.S. officials say it is unclear whether the people who were arrested are connected to the alleged planned drone attack or if they were planning a different attack.
Behind the scenes: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel gave the UK intelligence that pointed to a threat of an Iranian attack.
- On Monday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio called Netanyahu from the plane on his way to Iceland, the State Department said.
What they're saying: Rubio told reporters earlier that the movement of the bombers was part of "regular rotations" of U.S. Air Force assets around the world and was not directly tied to an Iranian threat.
- But several hours later, President Trump contradicted Rubio and told reporters the bombers were moved because of a security threat from Iran.
- "They didn't fly out by accident ... there was a threat. We moved them around a little bit," he said.
- Trump added that the U.S. knows who was behind the threat and their links to Iran.
- Trump was then asked about the attempted terrorist attack on the Fly Dubai flight and said he thinks Iran was responsible.
