UK declares major incident and makes arrests near US air base

Authorities in the United Kingdom have declared a major incident and evacuated multiple buildings in the town of Whelford, located close to the Fairford air base utilized by US military personnel. The escalation occurred on Sunday morning, prompting a significant emergency response that included approximately 30 vehicles such as ambulances, fire engines, and police cars.

Specialized bomb disposal units were deployed to the area to inspect various vehicles. Police confirmed that a cordon has been established and expressed confidence that the situation is contained. Several individuals have been taken to a local leisure center for safety.

Law enforcement officials stated that multiple men were detained on suspicion of violating the Explosives Act, though they stopped short of confirming whether these arrests were directly linked to the activity near the airbase.

A spokesperson for the US Air Force declined to provide details on specific measures taken, telling Reuters that both American and British forces remain on high alert to protect service members, civilians, and contractors. The underlying cause of the incident remains unclear at this time.

The Fairford base has recently been in the spotlight as it serves as a launch point for US operations against Iran, a move that has drawn warnings from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards. The incident arises amid heightened tensions in Northern Ireland and follows a recent discovery of an explosive-laden drone at Germany’s Leipzig airport, which officials attributed to Russia.