FAIRFORD, ENGLAND (VINnews) — The United States withdrew all 12 B-1B Lancer bombers from RAF Fairford on Sunday after American officials warned of a possible Iranian plot to hit the aircraft and kill U.S. personnel at the base, according to U.S. and European officials cited by The Wall Street Journal.

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The Pentagon confirmed that every American bomber stationed at the Gloucestershire airfield has returned to home stations in the United States. It did not discuss the reported plot. Vice President JD Vance said the planes were moved “out of an abundance of caution trying to protect our guys,” and described the decision as a response to what he called Iran’s long record of terrorism against the United States and others.

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President Trump said the bombers were removed because of “some threats” to the base and that Washington chose to move the aircraft “rather than tempting the enemy.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said rotations of military aircraft are not unusual.

The Wall Street Journal reported that officials briefed on the matter said the concern centered on a possible drone attack ordered by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, as part of a wider plan aimed at the bombers and the airmen who fly them. The New York Times, citing two U.S. officials, reported that commanders received fresh details tied to earlier warnings and acted within about a day. Some of the Lancers took off while aerial refueling aircraft needed for the Atlantic crossing were still being scrambled, the Times reported.

British officials have been more cautious. Whitehall has said there is an ongoing high tempo of threat from Iran to the United Kingdom and that U.S. air bases would logically rank high on any target list, while also cautioning that there is no evidence Iran could carry out so elaborate an operation against Fairford. Downing Street said Monday that the base remains secure. The Ministry of Defence has not commented on the departure.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said last week there were “strong indications” that Iran was behind a suspected plot at the base, without giving details. Tehran has denied any role and summoned the British ambassador over the accusation. In July, the Revolutionary Guard publicly named Fairford a legitimate target after the base was used for U.S. strikes on Iranian missile sites.

The withdrawal ends a deployment that began in early March during Operation Epic Fury. At its peak, open-source trackers counted roughly two dozen U.S. bombers at Fairford at one time, about 18 B-1Bs and a half-dozen B-52Hs. The B-52s left months ago. Since a shaky cease-fire with Iran in April, the remaining Lancers had mostly flown training missions. The Pentagon said the return does not remove the ability to conduct long-range strikes and that bomber crews remain ready to deliver global strike missions from the continental United States.

The move follows arrests near the base. On Sept. 27, police were called after three suspicious vehicles were reported close to the perimeter. Five British men, ages 23 to 25, were arrested on suspicion of explosives offenses and preparing a terrorist act. Officers found gasoline in vehicles they examined but no explosives. A sixth man, a 25-year-old dual British-Iranian national, was later arrested in London on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts. All six were released on bail. None has been charged. The investigation is continuing, and police have said they are examining possible foreign-state involvement.

Counterterror officers declared a major incident around the base last month, and dozens of nearby homes were evacuated while a bomb-disposal robot searched the area. Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, has rejected any link to the case.