Properties evacuated near UK air base hosting US Air Force after explosives-related arrests

A major incident was declared Sunday in a village near a US air base in western England, with 85 households evacuated after police arrested five men in connection with an investigation involving suspected offenses under the Explosives Act.

Gloucestershire Police said the evacuations took place in Whelford, near RAF Fairford, a Royal Air Force base that hosts United States Air Force operations.

Residents were taken to a leisure center while emergency services investigated the incident.

Counter Terrorism Policing said the five men had been arrested on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans said authorities were in the “early stages of an investigation.”

She added that counterterrorism officers were “working closely” with partner agencies to understand the circumstances of the incident and would continue working with Gloucestershire Police to keep the community safe while gathering evidence from the scene.

Constable Richard Ocone, the Gloucestershire assistant police chief, also said the force received a call after midnight on Sunday concerning “three suspicious vehicles” travelling toward RAF Fairford.

Police said the incident is contained and that specialist emergency teams remain at the scene.

- Heightened security concerns at base

A large emergency services presence was reported in the area, including a Hazardous Area Response Team, which provides specialist medical support for incidents involving hazardous materials and other complex emergencies.

The police confirmed that 85 households had been evacuated as officers and bomb disposal specialists continued their examination of the scene.

The investigation is being led by counterterrorism police.

A spokesperson for the US Air Force also told the BBC that its personnel “remain vigilant.”

“The 501st Combat Support Wing and our fellow UK-based Wings remain vigilant and will take appropriate actions to ensure the safety and security of our US service members, civilians, contractors, and their families,” the spokesperson said.

Defense Secretary Wes Streeting thanked emergency crews for their “swift” response to the incident.

“We can be reassured that this is being dealt with and it is exactly why our emergency response teams and Armed Forces are on standby 24/7,” he wrote on X.

The latest developments come amid heightened security around RAF Fairford. Britain said in July that its armed forces were prepared to defend the country against any attack after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned against allowing US bombers to operate from Fairford.

RAF Fairford has been used since February to support operations against Iran amid the wider Middle East conflict