GLOUCESTERSHIRE — The US Air Force has redeployed all bombers from RAF Fairford in the United Kingdom back to their home stations in the United States. A Pentagon spokesperson said: \"While operational security precluded us from confirming the movement of our assets and forces in real time, we can acknowledge now that all US bombers that were deployed to RAF Fairford have redeployed to their home stations in the United States.\"

At least 10 B-1 bombers out of 12 flew out of RAF Fairford on Sunday. The Department of Defense stated that the return of the aircraft does not eliminate its ability to carry out long-range strike missions and that it remains on alert to employ global strike capability from US territory.

Six people were taken into custody and released on bail during the investigation into an alleged planned terror attack at RAF Fairford. A dual British-Iranian national was arrested in central London last week on suspicion of plotting a terror attack, while five young British nationals were arrested in the area around RAF Fairford.

British authorities have linked the incident to Tehran, though Iran has denied involvement in the alleged plot. A senior US official told reporters that an individual linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps recruited British citizens to carry out the operation.

President Donald Trump said: \"We have decisions that I'll make about Iran. Iran's been decimated. So the only question is — it'll either be the easy way, or the hard way.\" The USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier and the USS Makin Island amphibious readiness group are heading for the Middle East region.

The USS Theodore Roosevelt and USS Makin Island amphibious readiness group together carry more than 7,000 sailors and 2,000 Marines. A US official said the deployment could result in three carriers being in the Middle East region as early as the end of October.

Why It Matters

RAF Fairford is located 100 miles (160km) west of London and serves as the USAF's only European airfield for heavy bombers. The base routinely supports Bomber Task Force operations and has hosted all three U.S. Air Force long-range bombers simultaneously since the 1980s. Prior to the recent incident, the UK Ministry of defense had issued a public warning in July 2026 that RAF Fairford could be targeted by Iranian forces if it continued to support U.S. military operations against Iran.

In July, the Revolutionary Guards issued a statement describing any base used to strike Iran as a legitimate target and stating that letting the U.S. use RAF Fairford made London responsible for American actions. Police cleared homes near RAF Fairford during the response to the suspected terror plot involving three vans, which held no explosives. The UK's Ministry of defense has maintained a 1951 agreement with the U.S. that grants the British government final authority over the use of RAF Fairford for combat operations.

What's New

The bombers were redeployed to their home bases in the United States, according to a Pentagon official who was not authorized to discuss sensitive military movements and spoke Sunday on condition of anonymity. The U.S. Department of Defense's 2022 report on forward deployment operations noted that RAF Fairford's strategic location reduces bomber transit times by 40% compared to direct missions from U.S. bases, justifying its continued use for Middle East operations.

The U.S. Department of Defense has stated that the number of B-1B bombers stationed at RAF Fairford fluctuates based on operational requirements, but typically ranges between 10 and 15 aircraft. RAF Fairford has hosted U.S. B-1B Lancer bombers for at least seven months prior to their redeployment, with the base serving as a key forward operating location for U.S. long-range strike operations in Europe. During the spring of 2026, RAF Fairford housed up to 24 B-1B and B-52 bombers as part of Operation Epic Fury, a large-scale air campaign against Iran.

RAF Fairford has hosted all three U.S. Air Force long-range bombers (B-1, B-2, B-52) simultaneously since the 1980s, making it one of only two European bases capable of such operations, according to U.S. military installation records. The U.S. Air Force had previously deployed B-1B bombers to RAF Fairford for several years, including during the 2011 Libya intervention, indicating a long-standing strategic relationship between the U.S. and the UK on military operations.