US moves aircraft from British airbase after Iran threat

The US military removed aircraft from RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk on Monday after receiving a threat reportedly linked to Iran. Two US refuelling tankers were diverted to Germany on Monday morning, while several other tankers at the base were moved to Germany and other locations later in the day.

The security status at RAF Mildenhall and RAF Lakenheath was upgraded to Force Protection Condition Charlie, the second-highest defensive threat level used by the US Department of Defence. This level applies when intelligence indicates that a form of terrorist action targeting personnel or facilities is likely.

“Any kind of successful Iranian strike against an airbase in the UK would pitchfork the Americans back into conflict with Iran, which is not what Trump seems to want to do at the moment.”

At least seven other planes were evacuated from RAF Mildenhall later in the day, according to The Telegraph. The exact nature of the threat remains under discussion among US officials.

The move comes weeks after Washington withdrew its bombers from RAF Fairford following a suspected Iran-related security incident. In September, police arrested five men found in vans near the perimeter of RAF Fairford with containers of petrol but no explosive devices.

Two of those men have since been charged under the National Security Act, and police believe they acted under instructions from an Iranian handler. Counter-terror police continue to investigate the incident and its links to Iran.

The UK Ministry of Defence said it does not routinely comment on the activity of other nations and that aircraft move regularly according to operational requirements. A US Air Force representative declined to provide details but said aircraft rotate between sites for various reasons.