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President Donald Trump praised U.S. collaboration with British authorities after police in the United Kingdom declared a "major incident" and evacuated dozens of people on Sunday at a village just outside a British airbase used by the U.S. military for strikes on Iran.
Officials in the southwestern English county of Gloucestershire said counter-terrorism police were leading the investigation after five men were arrested for suspected explosives offenses near Whelford, roughly two miles from Royal Air Force (RAF) Fairford, a major military facility.
The individuals were further arrested on suspicion of preparation of a terrorist act, Counter Terrorism Policing said in a statement published by the Metropolitan Police on Sunday afternoon.
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"Working with Britain, it was an amazing job," Trump told reporters on Sunday.
Appearing to refer to the five detained men, the president said they had been on U.S. and U.K. radars for a "long time" and were "looking to do big damage" to the facility.
"We got them," he added. Police have not publicly identified the suspects by name.
Police said Monday that the five men are British nationals in their 20s from London and that investigators are still working to establish a motive. Later Monday, authorities said the suspects had been released on bail while the investigation continued.
The decision drew criticism from Trump, who told reporters at the White House on Monday he would not have released the suspects. "I would have said, don't let them have bail," he said, adding that U.S. and British authorities "know everything about them."
U.K. Defence Secretary Wes Streeting later defended the process, saying bail decisions are for police and prosecutors and stressing that the suspects remain under investigation and subject to "stringent bail conditions."
In a statement emailed to Newsweek on Sunday, a spokesperson for EUCOM, which oversees U.S. military operations in Europe, said due to "operational security reasons" they won't "discuss specific force protection measures."
"U.S. European Command remains vigilant and will take appropriate actions to ensure the safety and security of our U.S. service members, civilians, contractors, and their families across the European theater," EUCOM's statement continued. "We constantly assess a variety of factors that determine what measures we institute or modify to protect our installations, our people and their families."
The U.K., under then-Prime Minister Keir Starmer, authorized the U.S. to use RAF Fairford for "defensive" strikes on Iran in early March, shortly after the U.S. and Israel launched attacks on Tehran and kicked off the nearly seven month-long war. Residents living close to RAF Fairford reported their homes shaking as heavy U.S. bombers took off from the base in the early days of the war.
In July, Tehran said it considered U.K. bases used to target Iran by the U.S. as "legitimate targets," calling London an "accomplice" in the war. A U.K. government spokesperson said at the time the country was "ready 24/7 to defend itself."
Authorities are investigating a link between the Fairford arrests and Iran as one possibility.
Iran's embassy in London on Monday rejected speculation linking Tehran to the arrests.
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U.K. Police and Prime Minister Respond
Authorities received a call at roughly 12:45 a.m. local time on Sunday (7:45 p.m. EDT) about three "suspicious vehicles" heading for the military base, Assistant Chief Constable Richard Ocone said in a statement.
A local farmer later told reporters she had alerted police after spotting vehicles parked in what she described as a suspicious formation near the base. She said Monday that she had received "no follow-up at all" from authorities after making the report.
Armed police responded, and the men remained in custody on Sunday afternoon, he added.
British Army explosive experts were deployed to the scene to examine multiple vehicles surrounded by a 400-meter cordon, according to officials.
Local residents were directed to a nearby leisure center, and around 85 households were told to evacuate as a precaution, Ocone said.
"I know today's incident near RAF Fairford will be deeply concerning for local residents and for many people following developments across the country," British Prime Minister Andy Burnham wrote on X on Sunday, who thanked local police, Counter Terrorism Policing and the country's armed forces for keeping the public safe.
He added: "I am especially grateful to those residents who have been asked to leave their homes while precautionary checks are carried out. The safety and security of the public is our first priority, and I want people to know that we will always take every step necessary to protect our communities and keep our country safe. The investigation remains ongoing, and I would urge people not to speculate while the authorities establish the full facts."
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U.S. Air Force Says It's 'Aware of the Current Reporting'
The U.S. has used RAF Fairford as a base for multiple types of bombers, including B-1s and B-52s. The U.S. military has also used RAF Fairford, with its long runway ideal for heavy bombers, as a staging point for operations in previous conflicts, like the Iraq war.
A U.S. Air Force spokesperson told Newsweek the U.S. military was "aware of the current reporting" but said they would not divulge any specifics on how it protects its forces because of operational security concerns.
The U.S. Air Force 501st Combat Support Wing is based at RAF Fairford. The wing "and our fellow UK-based Wings remain vigilant and will take appropriate actions to ensure the safety and security of our U.S. 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," they added.
Newsweek reached out to the Pentagon by email Sunday for comment.
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Police Seal Off RAF Fairford
Armed police cut off access to RAF Fairford's main gate early on Sunday, according to a Reuters eyewitness. Roughly 30 emergency vehicles across the police, fire response and ambulance service were seen close to the base, the outlet reported.
Roadblocks were set up near RAF Fairford.
"The emergency services have well-rehearsed plans for dealing with major incidents," Ocone said.
"As you would expect we are working closely with our partners to understand the circumstances of the incident," Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans, Counter Terrorism Policing's senior national coordinator, said.
Americans on Alert
A travel alert was issued following the incident, with the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in the United Kingdom urging Americans in the area to remain vigilant.
"U.S. citizens are encouraged to exercise caution and be mindful of personal security," the embassy wrote in its alert. "...We remind U.S. citizens that UK authorities rate the threat of terrorism in the UK as severe."
The Embassy advised U.S. citizens to stay aware of their surroundings, follow instructions from local law enforcement, monitor local media for updates, review personal security plans and inform friends and family of their safety. It also encouraged travelers to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive security updates.
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Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Ben Kelly, Cristina Diciu and Anthony Murray.
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