Potential Iranian Drone Attack Led to Exit of U.S. Aircraft From British Air Base

The United States abruptly withdrew all 12 B-1 Air Force bombers from R. A. F.

Fairford in southern England based on new intelligence about a potential drone attack ordered by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. U.S. and British officials say the suspected attack was part of a complex plot to strike aircraft and kill hundreds of American personnel stationed at the base. Vice President JD Vance stated the Pentagon moved the aircraft "out of an abundance of caution to protect our guys," while President Trump confirmed the decision, asking, "Why should we leave them there?" The Wall Street Journal earlier reported the drone threat as the reason for the sudden pullout. The rushed withdrawal came a week after British police arrested five men traveling in white vans near the base; the men were released on bail after no explosives were found, though a British-Iranian dual national was later arrested on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts. U.S. and British officials believe the operation is connected to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.

Iran has denied the accusations. The sudden move to withdraw bombers from an allied air base in a peacetime country was deemed highly unusual and urgent, with some planes departing while refueling aircraft were still being deployed. Many details about the specific threat remained murky, though a sense of urgency spiked over the weekend.

美国突然撤出驻扎在英国南部R. A. F.

Fairford基地的全部12架B-1空军轰炸机，基于伊朗伊斯兰革命卫队潜在无人机袭击的新情报。美国和英国官员称，疑似袭击是复杂阴谋的一部分，旨在袭击飞机并杀害驻扎在基地的数百名美国人员。副总统JD Vance表示，五角大楼出于‘保护我们的战友’的考虑，将飞机转移。‘为什么我们要把它们留在那里？’总统特朗普确认了这一决定。早些时候，《华尔街日报》将无人机威胁报告为突然撤出的原因。这次仓促的撤出发生在英国警察一周前在基地附.