The US secretary of state has said the removal of all US Air Force bombers at RAF Fairford is not linked to arrests made in the wake of a suspected terrorist threat at the military base.
Marco Rubio told reporters on Monday that the US is “constantly reallocating resources where they need to be”, and that he wouldn’t “directly tie” the withdrawal of the fleet to the incident.
Flight tracking platforms recorded B-1 aircraft departing the Gloucestershire base on Sunday as the Pentagon confirmed the fleet had been returned to its home stations.
The move follows the arrest of six individuals over the past week in connection with a suspected terror plot targeting the base.
"I wouldn't just directly tie that to the move that was made," Rubio told reporters, when asked about the B1 bombers.
"The Department of War is constantly reallocating resources where they need to be."
Mr Rubio insisted he still had confidence in the security of all bases, and said Britain “couldn't be more cooperative".
It came after Downing Street insisted RAF Fairford is “safe” following news of the removal of the planes.
“I just point you back to the praise bestowed on our police, defence, and security services relating to incidents around RAF Fairford over the last week or so,” a spokesperson said.
He also pointed to comments by defence secretary Wes Streeting saying there were “tried and tested approaches to defend our bases around the country and throughout the world”, but he declined to comment further on “foreign nations’ military operations”.
The move follows the release on bail of a sixth man detained in connection with the security incident. Counter Terrorism Policing confirmed the 25-year-old, a dual UK-Iranian national, was held on suspicion of preparing acts of terrorism under Section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006.
Five other British citizens, all in their mid-20s, were previously arrested on suspicion of explosives offences and terrorism before being bailed.
Police attention was initially drawn to the military site after three suspicious vans were observed nearby last weekend.
Senior CTP national co-ordinator Vicki Evans previously said the investigation was “hugely complex”, adding that specialist teams were “interrogating multiple lines of inquiry”.
She added: “As we’ve made clear, we’re looking at all possible angles – including possible foreign state involvement.”
Prime minister Andy Burnham said there were “strong indications” that Iran played a part in the incident.
RAF Fairford has been used in recent months by US bombers after former prime minister Sir Keir Starmer granted Washington permission to use British bases for “defensive” strikes against Tehran during the Middle East war.
Counter-terror police have said a quantity of petrol but no explosive devices were found in the vans that sparked the security alert.
On Thursday, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed Israel had handed Britain intelligence about the suspected terror plot.
Mr Netanyahu said his country warned UK authorities about the “Iranian-sponsored attack” shortly before Britain’s announcement of a ban on trade with illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
Earlier in the week, US president Donald Trump said he was “disappointed” after the five men were released on bail.
He told reporters: “We were involved in (the investigation), but as you know, your fellow countrymen let them go.
“Well, they didn’t let them go. They put them out on bail. I assume they haven’t watched closely… they should not have done that.”
