U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday that five men arrested near a British airbase used by American forces to strike Iran were involved in a situation that clearly involved a foreign actor, amid heightened security following a major incident declaration by UK police.
The weekend arrests unfolded at RAF Fairford in western England, a key military installation utilized by U.S. forces. British police declared a major incident following the detentions, which took place in the early hours of Sunday, September 27, 2026. British authorities held a national emergency meeting as security forces scrambled to respond to the breach near the active military base.
The White Vans and the Local Farmer Who Raised the Alarm
The security breach at the airbase came to light thanks to an observant local resident. A local farmer, who asked not to be named, told reporters that a neighbour driving past the facility on Saturday night was ordered by U.S. security personnel to stop and put their hands out of their car window. Later that night, around 1:00 a.m. local time, the farmer returned home to find three large white vans parked in the road. One of the vehicles displayed a fake telephone number, and a group of hooded and masked individuals was seen running away from the scene.
The farmer immediately alerted the police. However, a source familiar with the situation told Reuters that the initial police response was not intelligence-led, indicating that the suspects were not under direct surveillance prior to the farmer’s call. Subsequent checks revealed that the large white vans did not contain viable explosives. The five suspects detained in connection with the incident are all British nationals in their early 20s hailing from London.
Marco Rubio and Donald Trump Point to Foreign State Involvement
Speaking on national television late on Monday, Secretary of State Rubio stated in an interview with Sean Hannity on the Fox News network that the weekend events carried the clear footprint of an external government. He offered no specific evidence or granular details during his appearance, maintaining that some aspects of the intelligence cannot be aired publicly.
“What happened, what almost happened, what could have happened in the U.K. 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,”
Marco Rubio, U.S. Secretary of State
At the White House on Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters that the security breach might be
connected to Iran. The United States and Iran have been engaged in an active conflict since late February. President Trump also criticized the decision by British authorities to release the five suspects on bail, telling the White House press corps bluntly, I wouldn’t have done that.
Bail Release and Ongoing Police Investigation at RAF Fairford
Despite the high-level international concern and the declaration of a major incident, British police released all five men on bail on Monday. Law enforcement officials emphasized that the investigation remains active and open, noting that detectives are actively examining whether the suspects were acting on behalf of a foreign state.
By Tuesday morning, heavy security measures remained frozen around the perimeter of RAF Fairford. A large cordon and multiple roadblocks stayed in place, though local media reports indicated that residents from nearby homes who had been temporarily evacuated were beginning to return.
The incident unfolds against a backdrop of heightened threat awareness across Britain. Western governments have repeatedly warned about hostile actors from Iran, Russia, and elsewhere utilizing local proxies to orchestrate destabilizing plots. In April, Britain elevated its national terrorism threat level to its second-highest tier following a series of antisemitic incidents in north London, designating an attack as highly likely. The British government has also enacted targeted sanctions against individuals and entities tied to Iran, accusing them of financing and plotting destabilizing operations, while Tehran has consistently denied any involvement in attacks or plots in Britain, including the recent Fairford incident.
