FAIRFORD, United Kingdom — British police arrested several men near a United States-used air base in the United Kingdom on Sunday after an explosives investigation prompted the evacuation of homes and the deployment of military bomb-disposal specialists.
The arrests were made near RAF Fairford, close to the village of Whelford in western England, as police declared a major incident and began examining several vehicles.
On Sunday, September 27, 2026, Gloucestershire Police said residents were being moved from properties in the area while the investigation continued.
“A number of properties are currently being evacuated,” the force said, according to NBC News, after announcing the arrests of “several men on suspicion of offences under the Explosives Act.”
Police did not identify the men or provide further details about the conduct that led to their detention. They also did not establish a connection between the incident and RAF Fairford.
Vehicles Examined Near the Base
“The Army’s specialist explosive ordnance disposal team are currently examining a number of vehicles,” Gloucestershire Police said.
The force said the incident was believed to be contained.
Footage from Sky News, an international partner of NBC News, showed several white vans near the base apparently being inspected with a bomb-disposal robot.
Julian Tudsbery, a Whelford resident of 30 years, told Britain’s Press Association that another resident had reported seeing three “suspicious vans” in the village during the early hours of Sunday.
Tudsbery was among residents evacuated to a nearby recreation centre.
Security measures at RAF Fairford had already been increased in recent days, Reuters reported.
A U.S. Air Force spokesperson declined to discuss specific protective measures at the installation but said American military units in Britain remained alert.
“The 501st Combat Support Wing and our fellow UK-based Wings remain vigilant and will take appropriate actions to ensure the safety and security of our US service members, civilians, contractors, and their families,” the spokesperson said.
“We constantly assess a variety of factors that determine what measures we institute or modify to protect our installations, our people and their families.”
British Government Monitors Investigation
The British government said Prime Minister Andy Burnham was receiving updates about the investigation.
“It would be inappropriate to comment further whilst investigations are ongoing,” the government said.
The U.S. Air Force has used RAF Fairford in operations connected with the conflict involving Iran.
In March, former Prime Minister Keir Starmer authorised the United States to use British bases for what he described as “specific and limited defensive” operations against Iran.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps later warned Britain in July that “any base used to invade Iranian territory is our legitimate target,” according to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency, which referred to bomber flights from Fairford.
At the time, the British government said the country was “ready to keep the United Kingdom safe from any kind of attacks, whether it’s on our soil or from abroad.”
Police have not said that the arrests on Sunday were connected to Iran or to operations conducted from the air base.
Roz Savage, the member of Parliament for the area, thanked police for their response to what she described as “worrying scenes just outside the RAF Fairford base.”
British Defence Secretary Wes Streeting also thanked emergency and specialist personnel involved in the operation.
“We can be reassured that this is being dealt with and it is exactly why our emergency response teams and Armed Forces are on standby 24/7,” Streeting said.
