Five men arrested near a US airbase in England were released on bail as police probe a suspected bomb plot, with officials suggesting a foreign state may be involved. The arrests followed a tip-off that three white vans were heading to RAF Fairford, a base used by US forces for attacks on Iranian missile sites.
The suspects, who were detained in the early hours of Sunday, remain under investigation for explosives offenses and preparation of a terrorist act. British counterterrorism detectives have not disclosed the suspects' identities, though a source indicated an Iranian-linked motive was the most likely, with other possibilities including a Russian sabotage operation or an Islamist plot.
The UK has raised its terrorism threat level to 'severe' following a series of antisemitic incidents, with police investigating links to Iran in several attacks. The government has sanctioned 12 individuals and entities linked to Iran, accusing them of involvement in hostile activity, including plotting attacks and providing financial support to destabilizing groups.
A security alert from the US Embassy warned citizens to exercise caution, with US-associated facilities at heightened risk. The British government has authorized the US to use bombers from Fairford to strike Iranian missile sites, despite warnings from Iran's Revolutionary Guards that the base could be a legitimate target.