Gloucestershire Police said three suspicious vehicles were reported heading toward RAF Fairford at 12:08 last night, and counter-terrorism police deployed and arrested five suspects. All five remain in custody, police said, adding that 85 households were told to evacuate and that officers are still working to determine the full scope of the incident.

Army bomb disposal teams are examining the three vans in Whelford, the village beside the base, using drones and robots to probe the vehicles. Police have opened two of the vans and are working on the third. The van being inspected appears branded FUEL2YOU with a red logo, while the original FUEL2U fuel delivery company uses a green logo, and the other two vans carry no visible markings. The disposal robot at the scene appears to be an L3Harris T7, which can lift 250lbs near its chassis and 60lbs at full arm extension.

RAF Fairford is the only place in Europe where the US keeps heavy bombers ready to fly, and it currently hosts five B-1 Lancers used in operations against Iran this year. The base is on FPCON Delta, the highest US force protection level, while RAF Lakenheath is on FPCON Charlie. Police have not identified the suspects or disclosed a motive, and authorities have not established an Islamist connection. Iran's Revolutionary Guard has previously named Fairford a legitimate target, but no link to the arrests has been confirmed.