British Police Arrest Several Men Near US-Used RAF Fairford Air Base, Evacuate Homes Over Explosives Act Offenses

Gloucestershire Police declared a major incident early Sunday, September 27, 2026, evacuating homes in the village of Whelford, about two miles from RAF Fairford, an air base that hosts United States Air Force personnel in southwest England.

Police said several men were arrested "on suspicion of offences under the Explosives Act." An Army specialist explosive ordnance disposal team is examining a number of vehicles, according to Gloucestershire Police statements carried by the BBC and CBS News.

Evacuated residents were taken to a nearby leisure centre. A cordon is in place. Police said they believe the incident is "contained" and are "enacting the well-rehearsed plans we have in place."

Police did not confirm to the Associated Press whether the arrests are connected to RAF Fairford itself, a distinction both the AP and CBS News flagged directly in their reporting. Explosives Act arrests happen in Britain for reasons that have nothing to do with terrorism or foreign bases, including illegal fireworks manufacturing and unlicensed handling of commercial explosives. Nobody should assume a terror plot here without confirmation from investigators.

Why RAF Fairford is in the spotlight

The base matters because of what's been happening there since February. After the US-Israeli war with Iran began on February 28, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer authorized the American military to use RAF Fairford to strike Iranian missile sites, according to the BBC. Four American bombers landed at the base in March for what officials at the time called "defensive" operations.

RAF Fairford has since functioned as what the US Air Force calls its "preferred bomber forward operating location in Europe for USAF Global Strike Command," according to Euronews and Cedar News, both citing USAF materials. The base is home to the 501st Combat Support Wing Headquarters and the 420th Air Base Squadron. B-1 Lancers and B-52 Stratofortresses have operated from the site, per ABC News.

That activity has drawn direct threats. In July, Iran's Revolutionary Guards, or IRGC, issued a warning through the semi-official Tasnim news agency that any base used to strike Iranian territory would be treated as "our legitimate goal," specifically naming Fairford and the B-1 operations flying from it, according to Euronews.

CBS News reported that security at the base had been "significantly increased in recent days," citing a Reuters eyewitness who described more roadblocks and armed police restricting access even before Sunday's arrests. CBC, relying on a Reuters eyewitness account, said around 30 emergency vehicles, including police cars, ambulances and fire engines, were stationed in the village of Fairford, and that armed police had blocked the base's main gate.

The US Air Force response

A US Air Force spokesperson told the BBC that personnel at RAF Fairford "remain vigilant" but declined to detail specific security measures. "For operational security reasons we will not discuss specific force protection measures," the spokesperson said, adding that the 501st Combat Support Wing "will take appropriate actions to ensure the safety and security of our US service members, civilians, contractors, and their families."

This is a standard non-answer from a military press office, and a reasonable one given the circumstances. But it also means the public has no official confirmation, one way or another, of whether Sunday's arrests connect to a threat against the base or to something else entirely.

What's unresolved

Gloucestershire Police have not released the identities, nationalities, or ages of the men arrested. No charges have been announced. No court appearance has been scheduled as of Sunday morning. The Explosives Act allegations remain unproven, and police have stated only that they are investigating, not that a terror plot has been confirmed or foiled.

The question is whether this traces back to the IRGC's stated targeting of Fairford, or is an unrelated criminal matter that happened to occur near a high-security site during a tense period. Gloucestershire Police say updates will follow as the bomb disposal examination and investigation continue.