Five Men Detained Near RAF Fairford in Suspected Terror Plot

UK police detained five men on Sunday after a tip that three large white vans were heading toward RAF Fairford, a British airfield used by the United States to launch strikes on Iranian missile sites. The men are suspected of explosives and terrorism offences, and investigators are exploring an Iranian‑linked motive, with Russian sabotage and Islamist plots also on the radar. RAF Fairford was placed under a 400‑metre cordon and 85 nearby homes were evacuated while a bomb‑disposal robot worked around the vans. Armed police guarded the base’s main entrance and other access points were blocked. Prime Minister Andy Burnham was briefed and cancelled two Labour Party events. The incident highlights the vulnerability of U. S. ‑operated bases in the UK amid escalating Iran‑related tensions.