The men were arrested in the early hours of Sunday, September 27, 2026, after police received a report at about 12:45 a.m. concerning three suspicious vehicles apparently travelling towards the air base.
Armed officers responded in the nearby village of Whelford and arrested the five men.
According to Britain's Metropolitan Police, the suspects were initially detained on suspicion of offences under the Explosives Act. They were later further arrested on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act under Section Five of the Terrorism Act.
Army bomb-disposal specialists were deployed to examine the three vehicles, while police established a security cordon around the area.
Dozens of nearby homes were also evacuated as a precaution while the authorities assessed the potential threat. Reports said about 85 households were affected by the evacuation.
RAF Fairford is a British military base that hosts US Air Force operations, including long-range bomber aircraft. The base has been used by US forces during the ongoing conflict with Iran.
The incident comes amid heightened security concerns in Britain, particularly around military facilities connected to the conflict.
However, British authorities have not publicly identified the five men or disclosed their nationalities or a confirmed motive.
There have been reports that investigators are examining a possible connection to Iran, partly because of previous Iranian warnings concerning British military facilities used in operations against Tehran. But British authorities have not confirmed that Iran was involved, and other possible motives remain under investigation.
US President Donald Trump said the suspects had been under investigation and claimed they were looking to cause ābig damageā. British authorities have not publicly provided further details to substantiate that assessment.
Counter-terrorism police say the investigation remains in its early stages, with the five men still in custody as officers work with other agencies to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.
No conviction has been recorded, and the arrests and suspicions against the men do not by themselves establish that they committed a terrorist offence.
