The Pentagon confirmed that all US bombers deployed to Fairford had returned to their American home stations and remained available for global strike missions. Fairford had served as a hub for bomber strikes on Iran. The departing aircraft included a B-1B that had arrived just six days earlier as part of a rotation.
US officials believe a branch of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps recruited British nationals to attack aircraft and kill personnel, the Wall Street Journal reported, while some British officials questioned the plot’s sophistication. All six men arrested in the investigation have been released on bail and remain under investigation. Police recovered petrol from three vehicles but found no improvised explosive devices. Iran denies involvement, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi telling Britain, “You're barking up the wrong tree.”