UK police evacuate homes near air base used by US — detain men on suspected explosives offenses

Police evacuated homes Sunday near an air base in England used by the US and arrested several men over suspected explosives offenses.

The Gloucestershire Police force said Sunday that residents of “a number of properties” in Whelford, western England, have been taken to a nearby leisure center and that the situation is “contained.”

That is close to RAF Fairford, a base that American forces have used for strictly limited strikes during the war with Iran.

After the start of the US-Israeli war on Iran on Feb. 28, the UK government allowed the American military to use the Fairford base to strike Iranian missile sites.

A police officer blocks a road near RAF Fairford, which hosts a US air base, in Gloucestershire, Britain, Sept. 27, 2026. REUTERS

Police say several men have been detained on suspicion of offenses under the Explosives Act, and army bomb-disposal experts are examining several vehicles.

Police did not confirm the arrests were linked to the base.

“A cordon is currently in place but we’d like to reassure people that we believe this incident is contained,” the force said.