LONDON — U.K. police said Sunday that five men arrested in the middle of the night near an air base used by the United States during its war against Iran are being held on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act that appeared to involve three trucks.
London's Metropolitan Police, which takes the lead on potential terrorist activities, said police received a call at 12:45 a.m. related to the three suspicious vehicles that appeared to be traveling toward RAF Fairford, a U.K.-owned base that is operated by the U.S. under an agreement dating back to the Cold War.
Fairford has been used by American bombers for strictly limited strikes against Iranian missile sites under an agreement with former British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who voiced opposition to the war after it was launched by the U.S. and Israel on Feb. 28.
Iran has previously indicated that a base used to attack its territory is a legitimate target.
Authorities are investigating a link between the Fairford arrests and Iran as one possibility.
The five men were initially arrested on suspicion of committing offenses under the Explosives Act in the Whelford area, which backs onto RAF Fairford that hosts the headquarters of the U.S. Air Force’s 501st Combat Support Wing and the 420th Air Base Squadron.
Aerial footage from Sky News appeared to show a bomb disposal robot roaming between three white trucks. The rear doors of two of the vans were open and large black items could be seen scattered around. The robot appeared to be working toward getting access to the third truck.
Police gave no details as to the nationality of those arrested. Suspects arrested under the Terrorism Act 2000 can be detained for up to 14 days without charge, compared to the 24-hour limit for standard arrests, without an extension application.
“We are in the early stages of an investigation, and five men remain in custody,” said Vicki Evans, the Met’s counterterrorism policing senior national coordinator.
Evans said a 400-meter (yard) cordon has been put in place around the three vehicles that raised suspicion while the army conducts examinations. As a precaution, around 85 households have been evacuated whilst these examinations take place. Some have been taken to a nearby recreation center.
US and UK leaders respond to arrests
U.S. President Donald Trump heaped praise on those involved with the arrests.
“It was an amazing job. We had them under investigation. They were looking to do big damage to our fort. And working with the British worked out great,” he told reporters in Chicago. “We had them under view for a long time and we got them.”
And British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he knew the incident would be “deeply concerning” for many. In a post on social media, Burnham thanked police and the armed forces for their response and said he was grateful to the residents who have been evacuated from their homes “while precautionary checks are carried out.”
He urged people “not to speculate while the authorities establish the full facts.”
The defense secretaries of the U.S. and the U.K., Pete Hegseth and Wes Streeting, have spoken about the incident.
The base is home to US bombers striking Iran
Under the terms agreed, the U.K. government allowed the American military to use Fairford purely for defensive purposes, such as striking Iranian missile sites.
British security officials say proxies linked to Iran have been behind a string of arson and sabotage attempts in the U.K. and other countries, many of them targeting the Jewish community. They have previously warned that Tehran could expand its targets in the U.K. if conflicts in the Middle East continue.
The arrests come at a time of heightened tensions around the threat from hostile states to the U.K., with Russia and Iran among those that have used proxies to commit crimes on their behalf 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.
Local residents evacuated as investigation continues
The local Gloucestershire police force said the situation appeared to be “contained” and urged local residents to follow the advice as the investigation continues.
Julian Tudsbery, who has lived in Whelford for 30 years, said a resident had reported three “suspicious vans” in the village early Sunday.
“There were several police, three police cars in the drive, and they said you need to evacuate, there’s been a major incident, said he couldn’t elaborate,” he said.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Air Force said U.S. and British personnel “remain vigilant” and will take appropriate actions to ensure safety of all those at the base.
“For operational security reasons we will not discuss specific force protection measures," the spokesperson said. “We constantly assess a variety of factors that determine what measures we institute or modify to protect our installations, our people and their families."
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Associated Press writers Jill Lawless in Liverpool, England, and Ben Finley in Washington, D.C. contributed to this report.