US withdraws all bomber planes from UK airbase: Pentagon

The United States has ended its deployment of B-1 bomber aircraft at the Royal Air Force Fairford airbase in the UK, the Pentagon has announced. Initially deployed in response to a suspicious incident that led to evacuations near the base, the bombers have now returned to their bases within the United States. The Pentagon declined to comment on the specifics of the incident, citing operational security concerns.

The suspicious activity at the base, which prompted evacuations from 85 homes, involved five London-based individuals in their mid-20s who were subsequently released on bail. Iran's embassy in London firmly denied any involvement in the incident, which had raised speculation ranging from a terror threat to fuel theft. The base had been authorized by Britain in March for specific defensive operations against Iran, with US aircraft frequently seen operating there since.