British counterterrorism police are leading an investigation after five men were arrested on suspicion of explosives offenses and preparing a terrorist act near an air base used by U.S. forces.
Police received a report at around 12:45 a.m. Sunday about three suspicious vehicles traveling toward RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, southwestern England. Armed officers responded and arrested the men in nearby Whelford.
Fairford is used as a forward operating location for the U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command. The base has hosted U.S. B-52 and B-1 bombers during the Iran war, according to ABC News. American forces have used Fairford to carry out strikes against Iranian missile sites, the Associated Press reported.
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In a press conference Sunday, Assistant Chief Constable Richard Ocone said that about 85 households in the area were advised to evacuate early Sunday morning as a precaution.
"A 400m cordon has been put in place around the vehicles, while the Army's Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit examine them,” Ocone said. A statement from police earlier Sunday said that they believe the situation is “contained.”
Aerial footage from Sky News shows a bomb disposal robot moving between three white vans at the site, with the rear doors of two vehicles open.
Ocone added that the men remain in custody and will be questioned by police.
The base is home to both the 501st Combat Support Wing Headquarters and the 420th Air Base Squadron, and serves as the “preferred bomber forward operating location in Europe,” according to the U.S. Air Force.
TIME has reached out to the U.S. Air Force for comment on the incident.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who assumed the post in July, called the incident “deeply concerning” on X.
“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,” he wrote. “The investigation remains ongoing, and I would urge people not to speculate while the authorities establish the full facts.”
When asked by reporters about the arrests, U.S. President Donald Trump called them “fantastic.”
“They were looking to do big damage to our fort,” Trump said of the suspects, “and working with the British worked out great.”
Trump also said the suspects had been under surveillance before their arrests. “We had them under view for a long time, and we got them,” he said.
British police have not confirmed that RAF Fairford was the intended target of the suspected attacks. The Associated Press reported that investigators were considering a possible connection to Iran, but no such link has been confirmed.
