Including "Fairford"... Why do many security incidents occur for American forces in Britain?

Written by Essie Ronald from Ofoq News Network - A series of recent security incidents at British military bases used by the United States have prompted Washington to urgently transfer a number of its aircraft, raising the threat level facing some of its forces. On two occasions - one in October and the other in November - the United States moved its aircraft following threats that officials said came from Iran.

In a separate incident also in October, two Latvian men were arrested at another RAF base used by US military personnel. The pace of these incidents indicates the risks inherent in the UK's decision to allow US forces to launch defensive strikes against Iran from its air bases, and also highlights Britain's strategic importance as a host of expensive US aircraft, which in turn are attractive targets.

The British government confirms that its bases are still safe, noting that it has strengthened security measures at all its sites. Are there more American forces in the United Kingdom than in other countries?

No, according to British government data in March, about 12,300 military personnel and employees of the US Department of Defense are stationed in the United Kingdom, but the largest number are in Germany, where the headquarters of the US European Command is located, and Italy, which hosts a number close to the number of American forces present in Britain. How important are British bases to the US military?

The United Kingdom may not be the country that hosts the largest number of American forces on its soil, but its bases are of great strategic importance, as they are often used to host expensive American aircraft. The British Air Force's Mildenhall Base is the only permanent home in Europe for American refueling aircraft, and it provides vital support that allows American forces to quickly deploy anywhere around the world.

Flight tracking data, analyzed by Ofoq News, shows that 10 American refueling planes were moved away from the base on Monday, following a threat from Iran that was described as “credible,” according to a person familiar with the intelligence that prompted the evacuation. The source refused to provide details about the nature of the threat targeting Al-Qaeda, but pointed out that, in recent weeks, American intelligence services had monitored a wide range of “diverse, comprehensive and specific” plans discussed by Iranians to target American interests.

The RAF's Fairford base, which was a target in September, is of similar strategic importance; Its long runway allows it to receive the three types of long-range bombers operated by the US Air Force. It is worth noting that the United States used the Fairford base to carry out strikes against Iranian missile sites that were used to attack ships in the Strait of Hormuz, which means that American B-1 bombers were stationed there.

This made the base a prime target for a failed plot, which US federal prosecutors alleged - in a new indictment issued on Tuesday - that was directed by the leader of an Iranian “terrorist” group operating by proxy, while he was in prison in New York City. People familiar with the matter told Ofek News that the plan included using trucks loaded with fuel as vehicle-mounted explosive devices.

Louise Kettle, a professor at the University of Nottingham and a specialist in British-Iranian relations, says that Tehran - in addition to targeting American assets - always seeks, through its external attacks, to weaken relations between the United States and its allies. She explained in a statement to Ofoq News that the goal in such cases is “to weaken the ties between the United States, the United Kingdom, and Israel.”

Have security threats in Britain become more severe? In the months since the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran, the nature of the threat the Islamic Republic poses to the UK has changed.

According to Ken McCallum, head of MI5, Iran has sought to expand the scope of its hybrid operations and has adjusted its strategy to target “more fortified targets, such as military sites.” Kittle indicated that this reflects a broader shift in Iran's strategic approach, especially after the collapse of its traditional policy based on maintaining an "advanced defense pattern" through its proxies throughout the Middle East.

She added: "Not only did the United Kingdom change its approach by allowing the United States to use its bases, or the global context changed as a result of the state of war existing between the United States and Iran, but Iran's strategic capabilities have also changed, and therefore, it is expected that it will also change its strategy." Just last week, the state-linked Iranian newspaper Hamshahri threatened other European bases, including bases located in Germany, Italy and Greece.

The front page of the newspaper contained a warning that read: “We will see what happens,” accompanied by a map of Europe on which the targeted bases were marked with red pins. McCallum stated that the Fairford incident is not “unique,” ​​adding that “there have been other examples, not only in the United Kingdom, but all over the world,” without providing further details.

However, McCallum noted that Iran's capabilities - when operating outside its borders - are mostly limited to using "criminal proxies." He explained that this means that their capabilities remain limited to “the level of development of these criminals,” noting that the police and intelligence services are currently capable of dealing with these threats “with great effectiveness.”

In the United Kingdom, these threats have mainly manifested in the form of attacks targeting the Jewish community, opposition journalists, and military bases, but these threats may take different forms in other countries; France - which does not have permanent US forces that could be targeted, but which participated in “defensive” operations against Iran - on Monday held the Iranian “Revolutionary Guard” responsible for a cyber attack that occurred last month and targeted refrigerators in major stores, which led to the damage of products in about 700 stores. For its part, Tehran described this allegation as “unfounded and hostile.”

When British police received a report about 3 suspicious vehicles heading towards the Fairford base, the incident sparked widespread international attention due to its unusual nature. However, military bases, by their nature, always remain a potential target for attacks. “If you host forces from a country that is in conflict with another party, the military bases naturally become a target for that other party,” Kettle pointed out, adding: “This is not limited to the United Kingdom, but rather is a regular part of wars.”

In November 2024, several military bases across Europe hosting US forces reported spotting small drones flying overhead. Although the identity of these aircraft has not been officially identified, a report issued by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, a security think tank, estimated that they may be part of a campaign run by Moscow.

For his part, Luke Pollard, Secretary of State for Defense Readiness in the United Kingdom, said Thursday that security measures at British bases are "multi-level and based on intelligence information." He explained: "We are adopting a combination that includes physical protection, access controls, surveillance, police tasks, guarding, aerial monitoring, and capabilities dedicated to confronting drones. We are not satisfied with just one procedure."