Iran is reportedly planning additional attacks targeting US airbases within the United Kingdom, according to sources speaking to the Daily Mail. This warning comes as the Pentagon has relocated at least a dozen aircraft from RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk due to security threats from Tehran.
Among the aircraft moved were nine air-to-air refuelling tankers, which were transferred on Monday to other bases in the UK, Germany, and Spain. The evacuation was initiated out of concern from US authorities regarding the security risks posed by Iran.
Intelligence suggests that Iran, emboldened by a disruption at RAF Fairford in September, is now aiming to conduct similar attacks on other US airbases using proxies within the UK. Analysts believe that even the threat of an attack and the resulting changes in military posture are considered a success by Tehran.
MI5 has previously indicated a shift in Iran's targeting objectives, moving beyond perceived opponents to potentially include harder targets such as military installations. The incident at RAF Fairford involved the arrest of five men in vans carrying suspected explosives, which were later determined to be petrol. This event led to the US withdrawing B-1 bombers from the base.
US officials stated that aircraft movements between installations occur for various reasons. However, the recent relocations highlight a risk-averse approach by the US to protect its assets and personnel. There are over 12,000 US military personnel stationed across more than a dozen bases in the UK.
Despite President Donald Trump's comments about positive momentum toward ending the conflict with Iran, the threat in Britain is expected to persist, according to Whitehall sources. A US official offered a statement that aircraft rotate between installations and operating locations for a variety of reasons. Separately, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth dismissed impeachment efforts related to the Iran war as a stunt, asserting a "flawless" win against Iran.