US military aircraft have been withdrawn from a second Royal Air Force (RAF) base in the UK, RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk, amid a threat from Iran. Two US Air Force Stratotankers and three V-22 Ospreys were reportedly relocated to Spain and Germany on Monday.
The exact nature of the threat has not been disclosed, but it is being assessed by US officials, according to The Wall Street Journal. The Ministry of Defence stated that aircraft and assets move regularly according to operational requirements and declined to comment on the activities of other nations.
Flight trackers indicated that at least nine aircraft departed the airbase within a 24-hour period. Following the reported threat, the US has upgraded the security status at RAF Mildenhall and RAF Lakenheath to Force Protection Condition Charlie. This is the second-highest defensive threat level, indicating intelligence suggests terrorist action is likely.
Education Secretary Lucy Powell commented that the security of UK military bases is continuously reviewed, and firm action is taken when necessary. She could not comment on specific live operations.
This development follows a similar incident where US B-1 bombers were removed from RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire after a suspected Iranian terror plot. In September, five men were arrested near the base, and two more were later detained on suspicion of aiding Iranian intelligence. Iran's ambassador to the UK denied any involvement in such a plot.
In July, Iran's Revolutionary Guards had declared RAF Fairford and any base used to launch attacks against Iran as legitimate targets.
Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump stated that the US is prepared for further action in the Middle East if necessary but indicated that additional military engagement seemed unlikely. He noted that Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, and Kuwait all agree that Iran cannot possess nuclear weapons and are protected from further Iranian aggression.