U.S. Evacuates B-1 Bombers from UK Base Amid Iranian Threat

<p>The U.S. military evacuated a dozen B-1 bombers from the RAF Fairford airbase in the UK over the weekend, according to a statement from the Pentagon. President Trump indicated on Monday that the evacuation was due to a threat from Iran.</p><p><strong>Why it matters:</strong> A U.S. official stated that the base was under threat of an attack by Iran.</p><hr /><p><strong>The latest:</strong> Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on Monday that the movement of the bombers was part of "regular rotations" of U.S. Air Force assets globally and was not directly linked to the Iranian threat. He emphasized, "We have confidence in the security of all of our bases. All of our bases could be threatened theoretically at any moment and that is why there is so much security built around them." Rubio also mentioned that the U.S. has been collaborating with the British government on an investigation into the threat, noting their cooperation.</p><ul><li>However, President Trump later contradicted Rubio, stating that the bombers were moved due to a security threat from Iran. He remarked, "They didn't fly out by accident ... there was a threat. We moved them around a little bit." Trump added that the U.S. is aware of the individuals behind the threat and their connections to Iran.</li><li>When asked if Iran intended to launch a drone attack against the base from British soil, Trump responded, "If they did they will suffer greatly." Trump was also questioned about an attempted terrorist attack on a Fly Dubai flight, suggesting he believes Iran was responsible.</li></ul><p><strong>Driving the news:</strong> British security forces arrested several dual British-Iranian citizens last week who are suspected of planning an attack on the base.</p><ul><li>Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel provided the UK with intelligence indicating a threat of an Iranian attack.</li></ul><p><strong>What they're saying:</strong> The Pentagon stated, "While operational security precluded us from confirming the movement of our assets and forces in real-time, we can acknowledge now that all U.S. bombers that were deployed to RAF Fairford have re-deployed to their home stations in the United States." It added that the U.S. military bomber force, including B-1s, B-2s, and B-52s, "remain ready to deliver precision global strike capabilities — including through operations that launch and recover from the continental United States."</p>