US reportedly withdraws military aircraft from UK base again in response to Iranian threat

People familiar with the matter said that the United States evacuated US military aircraft from RAF Maddenhowe Base in the United Kingdom on the 9th in response to the Iranian threat. (Reuters)

After a suspected terrorist attack on RAF Fairford in the United Kingdom at the end of September, the US military ordered the B-1 bombers deployed at the base to be withdrawn from the United States. People familiar with the matter told the Wall Street Post that the United States evacuated US military aircraft from RAF Mildenhall on the 9th in response to threats from Iran.

According to the Wall Street Post, the Iranian authorities have stated that if the United States launches any attack on Iran, Iran's retaliatory actions will not be limited to the Middle East. A person familiar with the situation pointed out that the "Gang of Eight" in the U.S. Congress, which is responsible for receiving top-secret operational briefings, received a briefing on the Iranian threat on the 9th.

According to flight tracking data and another person familiar with the matter, two US military aerial tankers originally deployed at Maddenhall Base were diverted to Germany on the 9th. Later that day, several aerial tankers from the base were also mobilized to Germany and other locations.

A US official claimed that the United States has raised the security alert level to "FPCON Charlie" at RAF Maddenhow and RAF Lakenheath, both of which are used by the US military. "FPCON Charlie" refers to the security alert level adopted when intelligence indicates that a terrorist attack may occur.

U.S. officials are still discussing the exact nature of the threat posed by Iran to RAF Maddenhow, and they do not yet know whether the Iranian threat is imminent or just a broader potential threat, people familiar with the matter said.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Air Force declined to provide detailed information on the transfer of military assets, but emphasized in a statement that U.S. military aircraft will rotate between different bases and combat locations for various reasons.