US Secretary of State Marco Rubio Alleges Foreign Involvement in UK Airbase Bomb Plot

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has stated that a foreign actor was involved in a suspected bomb plot at a UK airbase utilized by the US to launch attacks on Iran. Five British men in their 20s were released on bail on Monday afternoon as police continue investigating the incident, which involved suspicious vehicles spotted near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire during the early hours of Sunday. British police reported on Monday that they are examining whether individuals acting for a foreign state were connected to the apparent plot. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had declared in July that the base was a legitimate target.

Masked suspects were detained on suspicion of explosives offences and terrorism after barrels of material were discovered inside three vans. They were photographed at the scene stripped of their clothing. An investigation found no viable explosives at the location of the arrest, a UK official informed Bloomberg. Their release prompted confusion and surprise regarding an incident that authorities had characterized only a day earlier as a serious attempted attack disrupted at a late stage. The nearby village of Whelford was evacuated, and bomb-disposal robots were deployed.

Without providing evidence or specific details, Mr Rubio stated: “What happened, what almost happened, what could have happened in the UK over the weekend is a very serious situation. It's one that clearly involves the hands of a foreign actor. I won't get into great detail about that yet,” he said during an appearance on the Fox News network's Hannity programme late on Monday.

US President Donald Trump remarked at the White House on Monday that the incident might be connected to Iran and expressed that he would not have released the suspects on bail. “I wouldn't have done that,” he stated. On Sunday, Mr Trump had praised the arrests near RAF Fairford, stating they had prevented major damage to a facility that serves as a primary launching pad for US air strikes on Iran, while suggesting the individuals had been under surveillance.

A local farmer reported seeing a group of men wearing balaclavas near the base shortly after midnight on Sunday and subsequently alerted the police, which raised questions about whether the alleged plot was previously known to security services. UK Counter Terrorism Policing chief Laurence Taylor stated that the investigation would proceed despite the decision to release the men from custody. “This does not mean the investigation is over,” Assistant Commissioner Taylor announced on Monday afternoon. “They are subject to stringent conditions on their movement and contact with others. They absolutely remain under investigation as we explore multiple lines of inquiry.”

Assistant Commissioner Taylor added that police are investigating whether the incident involved activity committed by proxies or individuals working knowingly or unknowingly on behalf of a foreign state. Prime Minister Andy Burnham interrupted his schedule at the Labour Party’s annual conference in Liverpool to convene an emergency security meeting to discuss the case, while cabinet ministers used conference speeches to reassure the public that the threat was contained. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood told the conference, “It is a reminder that at a time of heightened threat we must all remain vigilant.”

RAF Fairford functions as the preferred bomber forward-operating site in Europe for the US Air Force Global Strike Command. Mr Burnham approved the base's use by the US in July for defensive strikes on Iran, continuing the policy established by his predecessor, Keir Starmer. Meanwhile, the Iranian Embassy in London issued a statement on X categorically rejecting and strongly condemning what it called unfounded and malicious attempts to link the case to Iran, adding that such speculation serves only to fuel Iranophobia propaganda in the UK.