WSJ: US Moves Aircraft From RAF Mildenhall Over Iran Threat
The nature of the threat to RAF Mildenhall remains under discussion among US officials, after refueling tankers were diverted to Germany and the Pentagon raised security at two bases
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) - The United States evacuated American aircraft from RAF Mildenhall in England on Monday after a threat from Iran, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter. The precise nature of the threat, whether imminent or more general, remains under discussion among US officials, the people said.
Two US refueling tankers using Mildenhall diverted to Germany earlier on Monday, and several other tankers were moved to Germany and other locations later in the day, according to flight-tracking data and another official.
A US Air Force spokesperson declined to give details but said in a statement that aircraft rotate between installations and operating locations for a variety of reasons, and the White House referred questions to the Pentagon.
The US raised the security posture at RAF Mildenhall and RAF Lakenheath to FPCON Charlie, which applies when intelligence indicates that a form of terrorist action is likely, a US official told the Journal.
The War Zone reported earlier that a US official confirmed “enhanced force protection measures” at both bases. Lakenheath also asked the public to report suspicious drone activity, and the War Zone said it was unclear whether that was connected.
The move follows the withdrawal last month of all 12 B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford in England, which the Journal reported was driven by concern about a complex Iran-backed plot to kill American pilots and target the aircraft with drones. Iran denied involvement. Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton said in October that Iran was in “advanced stages” of planning to target US personnel in the Middle East, which explained a sudden evacuation of diplomats from regional posts.
Asked about that concern on Monday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, “We’ve addressed it by moving people away from the threat,” according to the Journal. Congressional leaders known as the “Gang of Eight” received a briefing on Iran’s threats on Monday, a person familiar with the meeting said.
The threat comes as President Trump weighs additional strikes on Iran, and as Republican Rep. Thomas Massie pushes to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over the war.
Iran has said its retaliation for any US attack would extend beyond the Middle East. Trump posted on Monday that a return to war with Iran was “unlikely,” and told reporters at the White House that “at this point, taking military action doesn’t seem to be a very necessary thing.”
He cited progress in negotiations and the preference of Middle East allies for continuing the blockade of Iranian trade, adding that the US is “locked and loaded” if the situation changes.