Telegraph: Iran leading suspect in plot targeting British base used by US forces

British counter‑terrorism police are investigating the possibility that Iran was behind an alleged bombing plot targeting RAF Fairford airbase in Fairford, Gloucestershire, which is used by the US Air Force in operations against Iran, the British Telegraph reported.

British authorities detained five men on suspicion of offences under the Explosives Act and of preparing a terrorist act after three suspicious trucks were seen heading towards the base in the early hours of Sunday.

The Telegraph said investigators are examining several possibilities about who is behind the plot, including a Russian sabotage operation or a scheme linked to Islamist extremist groups, but sources familiar with the investigation said an Iran‑linked motive is currently the most likely.

According to the sources cited by the paper, if a link to Tehran is confirmed, the operation would likely have been carried out by elements directly connected to Iran, rather than through criminal proxies, as happened in previous incidents attributed to Iran‑linked networks.

The hypothesis of an Iranian motive gains particular weight because of the base's location and its role in US military operations. RAF Fairford has been used by the US Air Force in operations against Iranian targets, making it previously a direct target for Tehran. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps threatened in July to target the base, saying: "Any base used for aggression against Iranian territory is a legitimate target for us."

Trump: They wanted to cause "significant damage"

President Donald Trump said the detained men were "seeking to cause significant damage", praising the cooperation between British and American authorities. He added that the suspects had been under surveillance for a long period before being arrested.

Police said the operation began after a report at about 12:45 a.m. of three suspicious vehicles heading for the base, after which armed units were deployed and the five men were arrested in the nearby Wilford area.

A specialist army explosives team was called in to examine the vehicles, and about 85 homes in the area were evacuated as a precaution.

Images from the scene show a bomb‑disposal robot examining three white trucks, while police imposed a wide security cordon around the area.