Marco Rubio states UK airbase incident involved foreign actor

United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that a "foreign actor" was involved in a suspected bomb plot near an airbase in the United Kingdom utilized by the US military. Police arrested five men, all British nationals from London, in their early to mid-20s, on Sunday after being alerted by a local farmer about three white vans approaching RAF Fairford, a British base that houses US bombers conducting missions against Iran. The counterterrorism police announced on Monday that they were investigating whether the individuals were acting on behalf of a foreign state in an apparent plot to attack the airbase. The suspects were later reported to be released on bail. In a statement on the Hannity program on Fox News, Rubio described the situation as "very serious" and indicated it involved a foreign actor, though he did not provide further details. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran had previously stated in July that the Fairford base was a legitimate target. Iran's embassy in London responded on Monday by categorically rejecting and condemning the allegations of involvement, claiming such speculations would contribute to "Iranophobia propaganda" in the UK. Former President Donald Trump mentioned on Sunday that the UK and the US had been monitoring the suspects for some time, alleging they intended to cause significant damage. Following news of the suspects' release on bail, Trump suggested a possible link to Iran but did not elaborate. The UK had granted the US permission in March to use Fairford for specific defensive operations against Iran aimed at destroying Iranian missiles at their source. US bombers and other aircraft have since been observed taking off and landing at the base, which is the only one on the British mainland used for this purpose. Residents in the rural Cotswolds area surrounding Fairford reported increased military activity and security in recent months. Authorities evacuated approximately 85 households from a nearby village early on Sunday, allowing residents to return home the following day. Tehran has previously warned London against permitting its bases to be used by the US for operations against Iran, with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accusing London of endangering British lives by allowing the bases to be used for aggression against Iran.