A large-scale counter-terrorism operation unfolded in southern England early Sunday morning, resulting in the arrest of five men on suspicion of plotting a terrorist attack and explosive-related offences, UK law enforcement officials have confirmed. The operation was triggered when local residents reported three unauthorised suspicious vehicles travelling toward RAF Fairford, a critical Royal Air Force base in Gloucestershire that hosts regular operations for the United States Air Force.
The first report of suspicious activity reached emergency services at approximately 00:45 BST on Sunday. One local resident, who chose to remain anonymous, told the BBC she first contacted Ministry of Defence police to report three parked vans and a group of masked men near the base, but received no response before dialling 999 for emergency assistance. Following the report, authorities declared a major incident, ordered the evacuation of dozens of residential properties in the nearby village of Whelford, and established a 400-metre safety cordon around the search area.
In the immediate aftermath of the declaration, specialised emergency resources were deployed to the scene: an Army explosive ordnance disposal team was brought in to examine the intercepted vehicles, a hazardous area response unit joined the operation, and counter-terrorism policing took lead of the ongoing investigation. Aerial imagery captured at the site shows a remote-controlled bomb disposal robot approaching the stationary white vans parked in a wooded area near the base, though police have not officially confirmed the robot’s use in the operation.
As of Sunday evening, the five arrested men remain in police custody. Initially detained by Gloucestershire Constabulary on charges under the Explosives Act, the suspects were later additionally arrested on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act. Speaking at a press conference Sunday evening, temporary Chief Constable Maggie Blyth of Gloucestershire Constabulary confirmed that law enforcement does not believe any additional suspects remain at large, stating the incident is currently contained.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has received continuous updates on what officials have described as a “deeply concerning” situation near the base. RAF Fairford has a decades-long history of hosting US military operations, and in recent months has served as a staging ground for US warplanes carrying out defensive strikes against Iran. US President Donald Trump commented on the arrests Sunday, saying the suspects had been “looking to do big damage”, adding that “We had them under view for a long time, and we got them.”
UK Defence Secretary Wes Streeting confirmed he had already held communications with his US counterpart, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, to coordinate on the investigation and security protocols. A spokesperson for the US Air Force stated that all USAF personnel stationed at the base remain on high alert, but declined to share details of specific force protection measures being implemented. In the wake of the incident, the US Department of Defense elevated the threat level at another UK-based US Air Force installation, RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk, to its second-highest security category.
An unverified image purporting to capture the moment of the suspects’ arrest was circulated to the BBC, showing detained men approximately 350 metres from the Crash Gate 6A runway access point at RAF Fairford. While the BBC has not confirmed the image’s original source, BBC Verify’s geolocation analysis confirmed the image matches the location of the operation and appears to be authentic.
Evacuated residents have been advised they will not be able to return to their properties overnight Sunday, as bomb disposal experts and investigators continue to process the scene. Cotswold District Council has arranged overnight accommodation at a local leisure centre for displaced residents who are unable to stay with family or friends. Local residents described chaotic scenes in the early hours of Sunday: one resident, Julian Tudsbury, said he was woken at 7 a.m. by armed officers banging on his door, who ordered an immediate evacuation without elaborating on the incident, while another resident said he witnessed armed police detaining the suspects outside his home just two hours after the first emergency call was placed.
Counter Terrorism Policing officials noted that as of Sunday evening, the investigation remains in its early stages, and no further details on the suspects’ backgrounds or alleged plot have been released to the public.