The United States has relocated American military aircraft from an airbase in the United Kingdom following a threat reportedly linked to Iran, according to The Wall Street Journal, which cited sources familiar with the matter.
The aircraft were moved from RAF Mildenhall, a British military base used by the US Air Force. According to the newspaper, American authorities are investigating the precise nature of the threat against the facility.
Flight-tracking data analysed by CNN show that 10 US KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refuelling aircraft were relocated on Monday.
Four aircraft were transferred to Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany, one to Ramstein Air Base, also in Germany, four to Morón Air Base in Spain, and one to Glasgow Prestwick Airport in Scotland.
Alongside the aircraft movements, US authorities raised the security alert level at RAF Mildenhall and RAF Lakenheath to FPCON Charlie.
According to The Wall Street Journal and defence publication The War Zone, citing a US official, this is the second-highest level in the Pentagon’s force protection system. It indicates the possibility of a terrorist incident or targeted attack.
“We take precautions to ensure that our aircraft, personnel and facilities remain safe and secure,” a US official told CNN.
Another official from US European Command said American military aircraft are routinely relocated between bases and operating locations for various reasons, including exercises and operational requirements.
“For operational security reasons, we will not provide further information about the movement of military assets,” the official added.
A spokesperson for the British Ministry of Defence said the authorities do not routinely comment on the activities of other countries.
The spokesperson added that aircraft and other military assets are regularly relocated in accordance with operational requirements.
The latest movements follow another reported Iran-related threat against the British airbase RAF Fairford last month.
The facility had previously been used by US B-1 bombers to carry out strikes against Iran. However, the aircraft were withdrawn for security reasons shortly after five people were arrested outside the military base in the early hours of September 27.
British prosecutors subsequently charged two British nationals under the National Security Act in connection with the incident outside RAF Fairford.
British police said the two individuals were suspected of assisting Iran.
So far, US authorities have not publicly disclosed further details about the nature of the threat against RAF Mildenhall.
