LONDON — Police have arrested five British nationals in connection with a massive security operation near a base the U.S. Air Force used to facilitate strikes on Iran, the counterterrorism officials running the operation said Monday.
The men, all from London, were arrested on suspicion of terrorism and explosives offenses after three suspicious vehicles were seen moving toward RAF Fairford, which is about 90 minutes west of London. Dozens of homes were evacuated and a large emergency presence was seen around the installation, shaking the normally quiet rural area in rural Cotswolds.
“This is a hugely complex and large-scale operation, involving local and national policing, the [Ministry of Defense], and local agencies, who are working together to progress the investigation and support for the community,” said Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans, the Metropolitan Police’s counterterrorism policing senior national coordinator.
Nobody has been charged.
Earlier, a local farmer recounted how she had seen a group of hooded and masked men early Sunday.
“When they saw me they ran ahead of me — some into the field and some towards the neighboring village,” the farmer, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the BBC News on Monday. “I then realized that something highly unusual was taking place.”
Asked if British authorities knew of the threat ahead of time or only became aware after being called by a concerned farmer as has been reported, Defense Minister Wes Streeting told broadcaster Sky News on Monday that the member of the public “did the right thing” and acted quickly.
A grainy image has also emerged appearing to show the suspects.
The photo, which began circulating on social media Sunday morning, shows five men sitting on the ground shirtless and apparently handcuffed. They are flanked by armed officers.
The image geolocated to near RAF Fairford by NBC News. NBC News could not locate the original source of the photo.
The suspects, who are all in their early to mid-twenties, remain in custody, Evans said, as investigators probe a possible motive. Their names have not been released.
Another image showing three white vans near the air base has also circulated online.
Fuel2U, a U.K. fuel delivery company, said in a statement that a version of its logo appeared on one of the vehicles, adding that neither the vehicle nor any of the individuals involved has any connection to it.
“We are extremely concerned that our company’s name has been used without our knowledge or permission,” the statement said.
After the operation prompted questions about a possible link to Iran, the country’s embassy in London denied the country was involved.
“The embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in London categorically rejects and strongly condemns the recent unfounded and malicious speculations published by some British individuals and media outlets attempting to link Iran to arrest of five suspects in the vicinity of RAF Fairford base,” it said in a statement on X.
In March, then-Prime Minister Keir Starmer gave permission for the U.S. to use its bases for “specific and limited defensive” operations against Iran.
In July, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned Britain that “any base used to facilitate aggression against Iranian territory is considered a legitimate target,” Iran’s semiofficial Tasnim news agency reported, specifically citing bomber aircraft flights taking off from Fairford.
“I am very aware of the levels of speculation about the motivation behind this incident, and the geopolitical questions that are being raised,” Evans said, adding that investigators should be “given the space to work carefully and clearly.”
Tristan Wilkinson, a member of the local council, told NBC News that a threat to the base from Iran earlier this summer had heightened the alert level in the community and led to a ramped-up police presence and increased security patrols.
Asked about a possible connection to Iran on Sunday, President Donald Trump told reporters: “We know all about them, and you’ll be hearing about it very soon. We caught them.”
Trump said in separate comments Sunday that the arrests were an “amazing job.”
“They were looking to do big damage to our fort, and working with the British worked out great,” he said. “We had them under view for a long time, and we got them.”
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham urged people not to speculate while the authorities establish the full facts.