British counter-terrorism police open an investigation into a "major incident" near the Fairford base

British counter-terrorism police were tasked with investigating the “major incident” in the village of Welford, near RAF Fairford, which hosts US Air Force forces.

Interior Minister Shabana Mahmoud stated that the emergency teams dealing with the incident believe that the situation is now “under control.”

Police said that residents of a number of homes in the area were transferred to a nearby entertainment center.

She added that a specialized team from the British Army dealing with ammunition and explosives was examining a number of vehicles, while the police imposed a security cordon around the area.

A British government spokesman said that Prime Minister Andy Burnham was being informed of developments related to the incident, and said: “We express our gratitude to the emergency teams who moved quickly to arrest a number of suspects and take measures to ensure the safety of society.”

He added: "It is not appropriate to comment further at this time, given that the investigations are still ongoing."

Gloucestershire Police said: "A number of properties in the Welford area are currently being evacuated following a major incident declaration."

“This follows the arrest of several men on suspicion of offenses under the Explosives Act.”

The police said: “We are working closely with our partners, implementing pre-prepared plans that have undergone extensive training.”

The Fairford base has been used to deploy American bombers since the outbreak of war with Iran on February 28.

In March of this year, after then-Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer authorized “defensive” US action against Iranian missile sites from British bases, four US bombers landed at RAF Fairford, and the US began using the British bases to carry out “specific defensive operations”.

A US Air Force spokesman said that its personnel stationed at RAF Fairford "exercise constant vigilance."

“For operational security reasons, we will not discuss specific measures to protect forces,” the spokesman said.

He added: "The 501st Combat Support Wing and our other wings based in the United Kingdom continue to remain vigilant and will take appropriate measures to ensure the safety and security of American service members, civilians, contractors and their families."

BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner says that to get an official account of what happened at RAF Fairford, we will have to wait for a statement from the police; However, the context of these events is worrying.

These developments come in light of increasing incidents across Europe in what is known as the “hybrid war,” which the Kremlin - or specifically the Russian Military Intelligence Service (GRU) - is allegedly behind, in retaliation against countries that support Ukraine.

These incidents include arson, cyber attacks, and the flying of unidentified drones near sensitive sites such as nuclear bases and power plants, as well as the recent discovery of three explosive-laden drones at Leipzig-Halle Airport in Germany, which is a logistics hub for shipping supplies to Ukraine.