US Relocates Refuelling Tankers To Germany From UK Airbase Amid Iran Threat
The United States has relocated several military refuelling tankers from Britain's RAF Mildenhall airbase to Germany and other locations following a threat from Iran, raising security concerns at two major US military installations in the UK.
According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the matter, two US refuelling tankers operating from RAF Mildenhall were diverted to Germany early on Monday. Several more tankers stationed at the base were moved to Germany and other locations later in the day.
US officials are still discussing the precise nature of the threat to the airbase, the newspaper reported. The relocation marks the second British military installation from which American aircraft have been moved in recent weeks amid heightened concerns over potential Iranian threats.
The security posture at both RAF Mildenhall and RAF Lakenheath was raised to Force Protection Condition (FPCON) Charlie, a US official told the newspaper. It is the second-highest security alert level under the US Department of Defense's threat assessment system and is activated when intelligence indicates a credible threat of an imminent terrorist attack.
Britain's Ministry of Defence declined to comment specifically on the movement of American military assets. "We do not routinely comment on the activity of other nations. Aircraft and other assets move regularly according to operational requirements," a spokesperson said.
A US Air Force spokesperson also declined to disclose details of the movements, saying American aircraft routinely rotate between installations and operating locations for various operational reasons.
The latest relocation follows the withdrawal of US B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford in southwest England on security grounds. Five men were arrested outside the base in September following a security incident, while two others were subsequently arrested on suspicion of assisting Iranian intelligence.
The Fairford incident attracted international attention amid concerns about the security implications of the conflict between Washington and Tehran. US bombers had previously used the airbase to launch strikes against Iran.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said last month that the activity at Fairford was likely coordinated in Iran. However, Tehran's ambassador to Britain denied Iranian involvement in any plot against the base.
In July, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had warned that RAF Fairford and any other military installation used to launch attacks against Iran would be considered legitimate targets.