Major police operation at RAF Fairford - men arrested

The men have been arrested on suspicion of violating the Explosive Goods Act. Exactly what happened and how many were arrested is still unclear.

A major operation is now underway near RAF Fairford air base, which is used by both the UK and the US, and is located in the county of Gloucestershire. Both bomb experts and anti-terror police have been called there, according to the BBC.

In a statement, local police say that cordons have been set up and that some nearby residents have been evacuated. The situation is considered to be under control.

"The army's specialist bomb disposal team is currently investigating a number of vehicles. Residents in the area are being evacuated to a nearby leisure centre. A cordoned off area has been set up, but we want to reassure the public that we believe the situation is under control," writes the local police.

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham receives regular updates on the effort.

- We are grateful to the emergency services and other blue light personnel who have acted quickly to arrest several suspects and take measures to keep the local community safe, says a spokesperson for the Prime Minister to the BBC.

It is still unclear whether the effort is directly linked to the air base.

In March this year, Britain gave the green light to the US to use RAF Fairford to target Iranian robotic facilities used in attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran's Revolutionary Guard has subsequently warned Britain against allowing bombers to take off from the base.

The United States Air Force is also following Sunday's effort. Together with its British allies, "appropriate measures are being taken to ensure the safety" of personnel and civilians on site.