British police arrest men over explosives near base used by United States

UPDATE - follow-up to Police evacuate homes near U.S. air base in England, detain men on suspected explosives offences: British police arrested several men on suspicion of explosives offences and Army bomb disposal experts examined vehicles in a major incident near RAF Fairford in southwest England on Sunday, September 27, 2026. Police evacuated nearby residents from their homes in the Whelford area to a leisure centre while armed police blocked access to the main gate and around 30 emergency vehicles stationed in the village. Police stated they believed the incident was contained. The British government previously gave authorisation to the United States to use RAF Fairford to carry out strikes on Iranian missile sites attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran's Revolutionary Guards warned in July that any base used in strikes would be a legitimate target and warned the U.K. not to allow U.S. bombers to fly from Fairford, prompting Britain to state its armed forces were ready to protect the country. A spokesperson for the U.S. Air Force declined to discuss specific force protection measures, noting that the 501st Combat Support Wing remains vigilant to ensure safety and security. Meanwhile, British Ministers have briefed providers of critical infrastructure on the threat posed by Russia regarding possible sabotage operations and cyberattacks, though Russia denies mounting hybrid attacks on Western nations.