US Moves Tanker Aircraft From RAF Mildenhall After Iran Threat

The U.S. military moved refueling aircraft out of RAF Mildenhall, a base in Britain, on Monday after a threat linked to Iran, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter. It is the second British airbase the U.S. has reportedly cleared of aircraft in recent weeks over security concerns tied to Iran.

The Guardian, summarizing the Wall Street Journal and Reuters reporting, said U.S. officials are still discussing the exact nature of the threat. Neither the British nor the U.S. government has confirmed the details.

What did the U.S. military reportedly do at RAF Mildenhall?

According to the Wall Street Journal, two U.S. refueling tankers that had been using the base diverted to Germany earlier on Monday. Several other tankers at the base were later moved to Germany and other locations the same day.

The newspaper also reported, citing a U.S. official, that security was raised at both RAF Mildenhall and RAF Lakenheath to Force Protection Condition Charlie. That is the second-highest defensive threat level in the U.S. Defense Department's system. It applies when intelligence indicates that some form of terrorist action is likely.

How have the British and U.S. governments responded?

A British Ministry of Defence spokesperson said the department does not routinely comment on the activity of other nations. The spokesperson added that aircraft and other assets move regularly according to operational requirements.

A U.S. Air Force spokesperson declined to give the Wall Street Journal details about the movements. The spokesperson said U.S. aircraft rotate between installations and operating locations for a variety of reasons. According to Reuters, the White House, the Pentagon and U.S. European Command did not immediately respond to requests for comment sent outside regular business hours.

How does this connect to RAF Fairford?

Weeks earlier, Washington withdrew its B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford in south-west England on security grounds. Five men were arrested outside that base in September over a security incident. Two others were arrested later on suspicion of assisting Iranian intelligence.

The Guardian said the circumstances of the Fairford incident remain largely unexplained. It drew wide international attention because it came amid heightened concern in western states over the war between the U.S. and Iran. U.S. bombers had used Fairford to carry out strikes on Iran.

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said last month that the activity at Fairford was likely to have been coordinated in Iran. Iran's ambassador to Britain has denied that his country was involved in any plot against the base. Iran's Revolutionary Guards said in July that Fairford and any other base used to launch attacks on Iran were legitimate targets.

Why does it matter?

For people living near the bases and for the wider public in Britain, the reports show that the U.S.-Iran war is affecting security at military sites on British soil. The Guardian noted that a raised protection level reflects intelligence suggesting a terrorist action is likely, though the specific threat at Mildenhall has not been made public.

The moves also show how U.S. air operations in the region depend on bases in allied countries. Tankers refuel other aircraft in flight, and the reported relocation to Germany and other locations suggests those assets are being kept away from a site seen as at risk. Officials have not said how long the aircraft will stay away or whether Mildenhall's role will change.

What is still unknown?

The nature of the Mildenhall threat is still under discussion among U.S. officials, according to the Wall Street Journal. The circumstances of the Fairford incident also remain largely unexplained. Official confirmation of the aircraft movements has not been given, and both governments have described such movements as routine.

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Around Prague, based on reporting by The Guardian