The United States has withdrawn at least 15 military aircraft from RAF Mildenhall in eastern England following a reported security threat linked to Iran, raising fresh concerns about the security of American military installations in Britain amid escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran.
The movements came as the US Department of Justice announced criminal charges against three alleged Iranian-linked operatives accused of helping plan a terrorist attack targeting RAF Fairford, a strategically important American airbase in Gloucestershire that previously hosted US B-1B Lancer strategic bombers.
According to flight-tracking data, two Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refuelling aircraft departed RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk on Tuesday. Their departure followed the relocation of at least 10 additional KC-135 tankers and three CV-22 Osprey special operations aircraft from the installation a day earlier.
The aircraft were subsequently dispersed to several military facilities across Europe. The tankers appeared to be heading towards installations in Germany, while another landed at Glasgow Prestwick Airport in Scotland. Three CV-22 Ospreys were relocated to RAF Lakenheath, another major US-operated military installation in Suffolk.
The movements were monitored by the Military Air Tracking Alliance, a group of open-source analysts that tracks military and government aviation activity using publicly available flight data.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the aircraft dispersal was prompted by a further threat from Iran, citing people familiar with the matter. US officials have acknowledged that the relocation was connected to a security threat but have not publicly identified its suspected source or provided details about the nature of the threat.
A US official, speaking to The Associated Press, described the movements as a precautionary security measure rather than a response to an immediate attack. The official said some of the aircraft were permanently based at Mildenhall, while others had been temporarily deployed and could return to the installation.
The United States Air Force also sought to avoid linking routine aircraft movements directly to a particular threat, emphasizing that military aircraft regularly move between installations for training and operational requirements.
In a statement, the USAF said American forces were working closely with British authorities to protect military personnel, civilians, contractors and their families.
“We constantly assess a variety of factors that determine what measures are implemented or modified,” the statement said. “Together, we are taking coordinated and appropriate actions to ensure the safety and security of our US service members, US and host nation civilians, contractors, and all of our families.”
Nevertheless, the latest movements have intensified scrutiny of the security situation surrounding American military installations in Britain, particularly following the withdrawal of US strategic bombers from RAF Fairford in October.
The relocation from Mildenhall follows the withdrawal of all 12 US B-1B Lancer bombers from RAF Fairford on October 4, following renewed security concerns surrounding the British airbase.
The strategic bombers had arrived at Fairford in March 2026 as part of Operation Epic Fury, the US military campaign against Iran. Although Washington and Tehran agreed to a ceasefire in April, the aircraft remained at the Gloucestershire installation amid continuing regional tensions and the possibility of renewed military operations.
The B-1B Lancer is a long-range strategic bomber designed to carry conventional weapons and conduct precision strikes against targets at considerable distances. Its presence at Fairford provided the US military with an important forward operating location for missions connected to the Middle East.
However, the Pentagon subsequently confirmed that all 12 aircraft had returned to their home bases in the United States.
“While operational security precluded us from confirming the movement of our assets and forces in real time, we can acknowledge now that all US bombers that were deployed to RAF Fairford have redeployed to their home stations in the United States,” a Pentagon spokesman reportedly said in a statement.
The withdrawal occurred amid concerns about a suspected security incident involving individuals allegedly attempting to organize an attack against the military installation.
The latest relocation of aircraft from Mildenhall suggests that American military authorities are taking additional precautions to protect their personnel and aviation assets at facilities across Britain.
The aircraft movements coincided with the US Justice Department’s announcement of charges against three men accused of participating in an alleged terrorist conspiracy targeting RAF Fairford.
The defendants are Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi, Mohsen Mohajeri and Mohammad Ali al-Hassani. US prosecutors allege that the three assisted in planning, directing and coordinating the proposed attack.
According to a US charging document, the alleged operation involved individuals being instructed to travel to the airbase in white vans, some of which reportedly contained barrels of fuel.
The incident came to police attention after a local farmer reported seeing a group of suspicious men and vehicles near RAF Fairford.
Prosecutors allege that al-Hassani, a 35-year-old Iraqi national, directed unidentified individuals to drive the vans towards the military installation. He allegedly paid members of the group beforehand to purchase metal objects that could potentially be used as shrapnel and to disguise the vehicles as belonging to a legitimate fuel-delivery operation.
The charging documents further allege that Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi, 32, a dual Iranian-Iraqi national already in US custody on terrorism charges, communicated coded messages to al-Hassani and Mohajeri to coordinate activities ahead of the alleged plot.
Mohajeri, 48, is an Iranian national.
US authorities allege that the three men were involved in a broader network of activities supporting Tehran and linked to terrorist organizations, including Kataeb Hezbollah and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
The defendants face an eight-count indictment alleging conspiracy to provide material support to terrorist organizations, providing material support for acts of terrorism, and conspiring to bomb a place of public use.
Al-Saadi faces additional charges, including attempting to conduct terrorist activities transcending national boundaries and attempting to destroy property using fire or explosives.
US Attorney General Todd Blanche said the government would pursue those involved in planning attacks against American military installations.
“Anyone who plans a terrorist plot on a military base housing American service members will be prosecuted by the United States government,” Blanche said in a statement on Tuesday.
The indictment also alleges that the defendants were involved in other operations intended to support Iranian interests beyond the alleged Fairford conspiracy.
The latest charges build on allegations first made public by US authorities in May against al-Saadi, who was accused of directing and encouraging attacks against American and Israeli interests.
According to the earlier US indictment, al-Saadi allegedly sought to organize attacks against Americans and Jewish communities in retaliation for the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran.
Prosecutors claimed that he and individuals associated with him planned and coordinated multiple attacks across Europe and North America.
The network allegedly claimed responsibility for at least 18 attacks in Europe and two in Canada. The incidents cited by investigators included the stabbing of two Jewish men in London in April, as well as a series of arson attacks targeting synagogues, Israeli businesses and Jewish schools in Amsterdam, Munich and other locations.
US investigators have alleged that the attacks formed part of a wider campaign intended to intimidate Jewish communities and damage American and Israeli interests internationally.
Al-Saadi has remained in US custody since May while facing terrorism-related proceedings.
The allegations have raised concerns among Western security agencies about the potential use of criminal networks, intermediaries and individuals operating across national borders to carry out attacks against sensitive targets.
However, the allegations against the three defendants remain subject to judicial proceedings, and the charges do not constitute proof of guilt.
The alleged Fairford plot has also prompted a separate investigation by British authorities into possible foreign intelligence involvement.
Last month, UK police charged two British men with national security offences connected to the incident.
One was charged with assisting a foreign intelligence service, which investigators believe may be linked to Iran. The second was charged with entering a prohibited place for a purpose considered prejudicial to the United Kingdom.
The British investigation has added another dimension to concerns about the security of US military facilities operating on British territory.
RAF Mildenhall and RAF Lakenheath, both located in Suffolk, are important components of the American military presence in the United Kingdom. Mildenhall supports aerial refuelling, reconnaissance and special operations activities, while Lakenheath hosts major US Air Force combat aviation capabilities.
RAF Fairford, meanwhile, serves as a forward operating location for American strategic bombers and other long-range military aircraft.
The simultaneous withdrawal and redistribution of aircraft from these installations does not necessarily indicate an imminent military confrontation. US officials have characterized the latest movements as precautionary and have emphasized that aircraft deployments routinely change according to operational and security requirements.
Nevertheless, the timing of the dispersal, the earlier departure of the B-1B bombers and the investigation into an alleged terrorist conspiracy targeting Fairford underscore the growing security challenges facing American military installations in Europe.
